NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – The father of a 17-year-old boy who police said was killed by an intoxicated driver in a New Smyrna Beach crash spoke out after the judge revoked the suspect’s bond Wednesday.
The state attorney’s office initially filed a motion Tuesday to revoke the bond of Michael Miles, 32, who faces several charges in connection with the Sunday morning crash that killed New Smyrna Beach High School junior Sidd Sukhdeo and critically injured his mother.
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Now, Satesh Sukhdeo, the teen’s father, is speaking out against Miles’ bond being revoked.
“I want to protect all of the innocent children of this community’s families so they don’t have to go through what we’re going through,” Sukhdeo said. “It’s been devastating and every time we look at another child, it’s our child, especially the children he’s touched in the community. We have to protect them.”
His son was killed Sunday morning when Miles, driving on State Road 44 near Interstate 95, failed to stop behind the car the teen and his mother were in and collided with the vehicle.
When officers arrived at the scene of the crash, they said Miles was found unconscious before getting out of his vehicle with the smell of alcohol on his breath. And while Sukhdeo said harboring anger won’t help the healing process, he does demand justice.
“We were not angry at the whole situation but when we found out he could get away scot-free and still be on the road to harm someone else, that’s when we got upset,” Sukhdeo said. “I just hope justice is served and we will just move on from there.”
A vigil was held Tuesday night to remember the teen who many described as a promising young musician, including his teacher at Cuchetti School of Music.
“Here he is, an all-state trumpet player, a violin player, helping fourth and third-grade kids during COVID who don’t have any leadership in front of them because the schools are closed,” said Dave Cuchetti, who taught the young musician and his brother for over a decade.
Sukhdeo told News 6 on Wednesday the family was “at a loss for what he could have done in the future.”