A 64-year-old man convicted in a motorcycle crash that claimed the life of his girlfriend in 2016 at a notorious intersection has landed back behind bars.
Bryan Robert Barnash was being held without bond at the Lake County Jail after violating his probation on a charge of driving under the influence-manslaughter. Details of the probation violation were sealed in Lake County Court.
Diane Lanthier, 58, of Clermont, died as a result of the May 14, 2016 accident at Rolling Acres Road and County Road 466. She had been a passenger on a Harley-Davidson tricycle driven by Barnash, who was her live-in boyfriend.
Barnash was sentenced in 2018 to four years in prison. He was released on Sept. 27, 2021 and remained on probation. Barnash, who had worked as a truck driver, lost his driver’s license for the rest of his life.
Lanthier and Barnash were airlifted from the scene to Ocala Regional Medical Center. Neither of them had been wearing helmets. She died days later from injuries suffered in the crash. Blood tests revealed Barnash’s blood alcohol level had been .159 on the night of the accident. Barnash, who also was seriously injured, was later arrested on a charge of DUI manslaughter.
In a 2017 deposition, Barnash claimed he had consumed two beers at his cousin’s vacation rental in The Villages, hours before the accident.
Lanthier had been employed by Hunton Brady Architects PA and was covered under the company’s group life insurance through Sun Life. She had designated Barnash as her sole primary beneficiary and had named her mother as her sole secondary beneficiary in the event Barnash predeceased her.
Barnash submitted a claim on June 1, 2016 seeking the life insurance payout. On June 9, 2016, he was charged in Lanthier’s death. Her mother subsequently challenged Barnash’s entitlement to the benefit due to his role in her daughter’s death.
