An 89-year-old Villager charged with hitting husband-and-wife cyclists with her Mercedes has hired a new legal eagle.
Marilyn Jean Hamilton of the Village of Fernandina is facing two felony counts of hit-and-run following her arrest in the Oct. 30 crash that left 60-year-old Jessica Laube of the Village of Dunedin with a serious head injury. Her husband, 68-year-old Robert Hunter had been riding with her on Morse Boulevard and also was struck by Hamilton’s white Mercedes.
The case, which is being closely monitored by the couple’s fellow riders from the Sumter Landing Bicycle Club, has taken a new twist as last week, Hamilton brought in a new attorney.
Marla Levenstein has practiced criminal defense her entire 30 years as an attorney. She has extensive criminal defense trial experience. She has successfully represented clients charged with first degree murder, armed car jacking as well as most felony and misdemeanor charges.
“Many of the cases that went to a jury verdict resulted in acquittals. Additionally, Ms. Levenstein is extremely successful with litigating pre-trial motions such as motions to dismiss and motions to suppress which led to either a dismissal of all charges or highly favorable results,” according to her biography on Musca Law.
Levenstein spent more than 25 years as a public defender in Miami-Dade County.
On the day of the crash, Hamilton reportedly got out of the car, saw the crumpled cyclists on the roadway, got back in the Mercedes and drove home. Her car sustained damage to the front and windshield. She was arrested after seeking repairs at a Mercedes dealership in Gainesville.
