Police: Pensacola man charged with vehicular homicide had THC in system

A Pensacola man is facing vehicular homicide charges more than a year after he allegedly crashed into another vehicle and killed one of the occupants while he was high on marijuana.

John Edward Samaras, 27, was the driver in the fatal crash Sept. 17, 2016, on Ninth Avenue, according to the Pensacola Police Department report on his arrest. He was in a Dodge Coronet with two other passengers when he hit a Nissan Altima, driven by Christian Noble. The passenger in that vehicle, Michele Noble, 71, died at the scene.

The report states it was heavily raining when officers arrived at the scene, and the roadway was very wet. Both of the vehicles sustained extensive damage, and there was debris, as well as beer cans, in the road.

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A witness who was driving behind the Dodge just prior to the collision told authorities that Samaras accelerated uncontrollably and began to fishtail at a green light. The witness said as the car was continuing to accelerate, the driver never slowed down or applied the brakes. The car eventually crossed lanes and crashed with the Altima, the report states.

Samaras was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital, where officers asked for a blood sample, but he did not comply. Samaras refused medical treatment and refused to provide hospital staff with a blood sample.

PPD officers obtained a warrant for a blood sample, and reported that when drawing blood, it took several people to hold Samaras down enough to cooperate.

Samaras reportedly had bloodshot, glassy eyes, and his face was flushed. Samaras' arrest report states he had body tremors and was grinding his teeth.

Police interviewed one of Samaras' passengers in the days after the crash, who said he, Samaras and a third passenger had been hanging out at Samaras' house when they decided to drive to another friend's house on Olive Road. He said Samaras was driving recklessly, speeding and swerving in and out of traffic.

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The Florida Department of Law Enforcement returned Samaras' blood sample in January, showing positive results for tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active chemical in marijuana. Results from a blood-alcohol test showed that Samaras was not over the legal limit.

A doctor considered an expert in the field contacted the PPD officer investigating the crash on Oct. 31 and said that in his opinion, the levels of THC in Samaras' system indicated he would have recently used the substance and was impaired at the time of the crash.

Samaras was arrested and booked into the Escambia County Jail on Thursday, and jail records show he was released on a $50,000 bond the next day. Court records do not show Samaras has an attorney listed.

Emma Kennedy can be reached at ekennedy@pnj.com or 850-435-8680.