20-year-old charged with DUI with serious bodily injury after investigation of Millhopper Road crash in June
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Christian Thomas Rafter, 20, was arrested yesterday and charged with driving under the influence and hitting another car, resulting in a traumatic brain injury to the driver, on Millhopper Road on June 6, 2023.
A Florida Highway Patrol investigation found that Rafter was driving a Mustang recklessly before the crash, crossing over a double yellow line to pass other vehicles and traveling over 100 mph. Witnesses reportedly said that Rafter passed over a double yellow line before crashing into the victim’s vehicle.
A witness who lived nearby reportedly told the trooper that he ran out of his home when he heard the crash and saw a passenger get out of Rafter’s Mustang with a box of beer and hide the beer behind a tree. Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies reportedly found a box of Twisted Teas on the ground, and a search of Rafter’s vehicle reportedly produced a glass pipe with marijuana residue, a grinder with marijuana residue, and rolling papers.
A deputy who interviewed Rafter in the ambulance and medical staff at Shands reportedly said Rafter appeared to be intoxicated. Rafter’s passenger reportedly said they had been drinking alcohol the night before and that morning and that they had both smoked marijuana while drinking alcohol before the crash.
A trooper obtained search warrants to obtain blood samples from Rafter and search his car. A data recorder from Rafter’s car reportedly showed that he was traveling 102 mph in a 40 mph zone at the time of the crash. The blood tests reportedly showed that Rafter’s blood alcohol level was 0.068 g/210L, under the legal limit, but the tests also found three marijuana-related compounds in his system.
FHP recommended charges of DUI with serious bodily injury, DUI with property damage, possession of alcohol under the age of 21, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Assistant State Attorney Darla Whistler filed an official charge of DUI with serious bodily injury on November 14, with a recommended bail of $50,000. Judge James Colaw issued a warrant on November 20, with bail set at $100,000. Rafter, who had no previous criminal history, has been released on bail.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Such a tragedy. His life is destroyed and what he could of been never realized.
Such immature choices for a 20 year old. Entire family could have been killed with that behavior. The innocent driver he crashed into at 100 mph impact has brain damage and may never fully recover.
I hope the authorities in charge will determine where he purchased the alcohol involved and maybe the drugs and prosecution process involves all involved.
Not that it matters to anyone reading this article because they will automatically pass judgement but the person he hit is fine and does not appear to have any lasting effects. Everyone in this accident is lucky to be alive.
Thank you for the update, Shirley. Thank goodness all is well – that is very good news. Prayers that we all stay safe and healthy during this holiday season.
I’m fairly certain that being hit by a car going 100+ mph will definitely have lasting effects.
At the very least the victim will probably have PTSD for the rest of their life.
Also, even if the victim appears to have no lasting physical effects there are millions of subtle but significant ways a tbi can effect them for the rest of their life.
The driver made a choice to under legal age dink alcohol and use drugs.
He could have easily killed the person he hit.
I have no sympathy for stupidity.
Drink
The victim is actually prescribed a service dog from the neurologist, because of PTSD and anxiety, because of the severe traumatic brain injury, he sustained in this accident. He was hit head on by car doing 102 mph and he flipped four times. The traumatic brain injury was so severe. He was in a coma entire month of June.
That is actually the farthest thing from the truth. He actually has delayed speech, stuttering, memory issues, true PTSD, had to learn to walk and talk again and oh let’s not forget to mention he is unable to work and provide for himself. So no judgement passed but glad to be able to clarify a few things for you.
No one said he wasn’t hurt. I said everyone is fine because they are. Bradford Gary is walking and talking doing tv interviews and going to Gator games and soliciting for work at the moment. So you are right he had to learn to do some things but he is Learning and progressing well which was my point. He’s not dead or I’m a wheelchair.
That is not true. It’s so far from the truth to be ridiculous. Where do you get information like that? Do you have any awareness of what it takes to recover from a brain injury?
At 20 I wonder who’s car insurance he was on…psa – getting your irresponsible kid off of your insurance asap is something to think about..
He had his own PIP insurance policy and want on anyone’s insurance
You CAN judge a book by its cover.
He needs to lose his driver license for life and receive jail time for his actions.
He has not lost his license and he did spend 4 hours in jail
HE WONT GET ANYTHING SERIOUS!! ANOTHER PRIVILEGED ONE GETS TO WALK AWAY FREE!!!🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
He’ll get sent to prison for at least a year. There is no white privilege coming from judge colaw. It could be your people or our people. Everyone’s going to jail with him.
And to think this you g man will suffer for the rest of his life because of such insanely irresponsible behavior. He needs to commit at least one paycheck a month to this young man for the rest of his life.
He won’t get any time only probation and rehab!!🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
He could be sued by the victim in a civil suit, if there’s a decent pro bono lawyer nearby. Good luck.
No probono lawyer will sue someone that has no assets and makes minimal wage
Hopefully he will be sitting in prison for a year and more than likely he’ll be Bubba’s bitch
He will not get any time and will get probation.
Gee that must suck for you
He will most likely get probation
Another vacant eyed dope head with no concern for others. Throw the book at him!
102 MPH at the time of the crash! Two lives ruined due to selfish bad habits.
Let’s see if the SAO drops or reduces any of the charges.
That stupid guy ruined a person and their family’s life all because he was high and trying to show off by driving fast. I hope he get at least 10 years in prison, along with community service that he has to work with brain damaged people so he can be reminded daily of the damage he’s done.
I really hope they keep this drug abusing thug off the streets. I personally don’t feel safe with him still roaming free in the city.
You’re NOT the same JeffK as me. Stop using my name.
Oh, you hypocritical people. Like none of you have never done anything wrong in your life. People make mistakes. Everybody lived in this accident and everybody is OK. Why don’t we all be thankful for that instead of wishing somebody goes to jail for 10 years but then again the person he hit should know about that.
And this is exactly why people choose to commit these actions. They think there will be no consequences because there rarely are. You are not looking at hypocrisy yet someone who was raised that got their ass beat when they made bad choices. Not just sent to their room and confined to playing video games all day and unable to drive their brand new Mustang that mommy and daddy provided them.
As was I. Beat your kids nowadays and you go to jail. Things are different now. Point I made was everyone is alive. Why don’t we celebrate that
Brad definitely isn’t fine, he’s the victim in this case. I talk to him alot, I’ve known him for a long time, HE IS NOT THE SAME AS HE WAS 2 DAYS BEFORE BEING HIT. PERIOD. Anyone saying he is, is either playing down the situation for the kid who caused the wreck or really has no idea. When you have a conversation that’s 3 minutes long with Brad he will repeat the same thing 5 times and not realize he’s doing it. Before this accident he was completely normal. He can’t work, he lost his car, his credit is now shot, he can’t get a new car, credit card fell into default, bank accounts went negative, cell phone in default… he lost everything. Why don’t a few of you donate to his go fund me account, help keep him going until he can find work for someone handicapped
Nobody said he was the same but you all are acting like he’s dead, and he is not and that is the point that is being made here. I’ve seen his Instagram account. I hear how he talks and how he acts. I’m sorry he lost what he did but it’s hard to believe that he had that much to lose in four months before the accident. I’ve donated to his GoFundMe, so I’m well aware I’m just saying you are all acting like this kid set out to hit this guy people make mistakes.
Some “mistakes” while maybe forgivable are still not excusable.
As for the victim, and make no mistake he is a victim, there is quantity of life and there is quality of life.
The victim has lost a substantial amount of quality, probably forever.
There should be a substantial penalty for that.
Why doesn’t the person responsible for his traumatic brain injury have his wages garnished for the rest of his life to pay for Brad’s losses and lost future wages. It is not our responsibility to donate as we didn’t cause this injury.
He’ll Get Out The Financial Mess Once The Insurance Payout Gets Real….
There is no insurance payout , the drunk driver had bad insurance.
Thank you for this something told Shirley was lying
How do we find his go fund me account?
http://gofund.me/5c3dc021
You’re correct on him not being fine. I spend a lot of time with Brad and communicating with Brad and he drives me crazy with the repeating himself over and over. He is a completely different person now and I don’t think he will be able to go back to work anytime soon. I had to get POA to set up his appointments , because he wasn’t able to do it himself and the people on the phone kept getting aggravated with him for repeating the same thing and asking the same questions over and over again.
Yes please go donate to his go fund me account he does need the financial help. His go fund me is BRADLY’S RECOVERY AFTER BEING HIT BY DRUNK DRIVER. Also his instagram is oureliteworld. Thanks for helping out anything you can give is appreciated
http://gofund.me/5c3dc021
Bradly has lost his brand new car that he just got in April and his credit score went from 740 to 360 as none of his bills got paid while he was in a coma and he had lost his job that pays him $2,000 a week. he has also lost everything that was in his car and that included but not limited too $10,000 in photography equipment. he is $400,000 in debt and 300k of that is medical debt . Because the drunk driver had bad insurance
If he was making $2000 a week he would have had money in the bank And your credit score doesn’t go down that quick in 2 months from being in a coma. Sounds like Bradly didn’t have good insurance either or he would have his stuff replaced regardless of the other drivers insurance. As far as medical debt, he can ask for the to be forgiven considering the circumstances. Shands does that.
No matter what someone is making , they budget themselves based on what they afford. Brad had ALOT of bills and most of his income went to his bills. He was working 60 hours a week and had his own company. Also when NONE of your bills gets paid and you have to 10 negative marks on your credit for multiple months , the score gets affected when you have negative marks on your credit. So none of his 10 bills got paid and every month he gets a negative mark for those bills. Remember Brad is no able to work untill march at the earliest, because medical will not clear him to work. To none of his bills are currently being paid and his credit score is currently 360 and before the accident it was 742. Also Brad had great insurance and progressive doesn’t send you the check , they send it directly to the lien holder. Because Brad just bought this car the check from progressive went directly to the bank he financed through. Also progressive doesn’t cover anything in the vehicle if it’s not listed on the insurance policy and they tell you to sue the at fault party for everything that was in the vehicle. Without the medical debt Brad is still $100,000 in debt because of this accident. All because he was on his way to work and got hit by a drunk driver at 7am that was traveling 102mph in a 40 and hit Brad head on and flipped his car 4 times.
Just wonder how he had all of that when Bradford Gary just got out of prison after doing 10 years 4 months prior to this accident
So,he’s not allowed to have anything because he “recently” got out of prison?
Did you miss the part about the fact that he had been working 60 hours a week, and started his own business ? That he was doing well financially?
You know, there are people who get out of prison, and do decide to change their life,and become a better person.
Shame on you!
He should sue the perp, a civil suit could garnish his wages for life.
It takes money to sue anyone and because the drunk is a broke 20 year old. The lawyers will not do it probono because there is nothing to get. So it would cost money out of pocket to sue him and Brad had lost everything and can’t afford to pay any lawyer to sue him.
The kid that hit him got arrested. Had a 100k bond. Someone had him bonded out of jail in about 4 hours after he got arrested, he never even did a night in jail, he’s not in Jail now. No consequences for actions.
http://gofund.me/5c3dc021
I think his mom works at the Clock, she was talking to a table about how it was the girl passengers fault for upsetting him for one reason or another and he is forbidden to talk to her. yada yada, no sympathy here, he ruined a life with his bad decisions.
Definitely not his mom. His mom does not work there. And the passenger wasn’t was girl. Must be another bad accident.
When highway patrol came to the hospital, I was there and they told me that the passenger was a 16 year old boy That told the state troopers that yes they was drinking all night and also smoking weed while drinking during the time of the crash. So his passenger was definitely not a girl but a 16 year old boy. Highway patrol has released the body cam footage of the boy getting interviewed by state troopers and he is definitely a boy and not a girl. Highway patrol is actually requesting the 16 year old to get charged with destruction of evidence for attempting to hide the alcohol and possession of alcohol underage. He already admitted to smoking weed and drinking when he was getting interviewed by highway patrol.
I’m starting to think Shirley is related to Rafter. At least that’s the only reason I can think of on why she would try so hard to downplay Rafters responsibility for this heinous crime.
Shirley is probably the person that put up $10,000.
Put up the $10k to make sure there perfect little asshole kid wouldn’t do even one night in Jail.
YOUR ASSISTANCE IS GREATLY NEEDED TO ASSIST BRADLY IN HIS RECOVERY OF BEING HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER. BRADLY IS THE VICTIM IN THIS ACCIDENT.
http://gofund.me/5c3dc021
What about that guy who killed that kid on January 27th 2020 on 20th ave…a couple hours of community service that’s about it…shame
Testament to vehicle design that a passenger was able to flee the vehicle after a crash that hard.
Wendy your right that this shows a testament to vehicle design and after it was in a head on collision at over 100mph the passenger was able to get out the car and go and hide the alcohol and then admitted to everything to the troopers at the hospital.
———. Trooper Chewing added that per Shands Staff it appeared Rafter was intoxicated via alcohol. Trooper Chewing stated she was able to contact passenger who post Miranda Warning ( see body cam) noted that Rafter and himself had been drinking alcohol the night before and that morning while riding around. Trooper Chewing noted the passenger advised her that all the drugs in the center console was Rafter’s. but they had both smoked marijuana right before the crash while drinking alcohol.
His real name is bradford gary there’s a reason you people avoid the fact to use his real name how about searching it up
Anonymous is another relative of the criminal kid, again trying to turn the tide. Good luck with that. The driver is guilty no matter how you try to flip it. Anyone could have been his victim, anyone’s kid, anyone’s mother, anyone’s brother, or parents. When yall read this, remember the victim could have been your kid or your mother, then remember this… after this guy did it, he got a new car, finally got arrested, didn’t do one night in jail, as his family must feel he above consequences for actions, even put up $10k to make sure his bond was paid within a couple hours of his arrest, an you think they care for anyone else, including your kid or your mother.
Actually, I already did look Bradford Gary up. He served his time. I don’t know the details of his crime, I do however, know the details of Christian Thomas Rafters crime.
What if rafter had hit a car with parents and children in them? Or someone’s grandparents? Or some high schoolers? Because it just as easily could been someone else.
The people claiming that Rafters a young man “who just made a mistake.”
Maybe Bradford Gary was just a young man who made a mistake too.
Regardless, no one deserves what happened to him.
He paid for what it was he did, and so should Christian Thomas Rafter.
This isn’t about the victim and this is about the drunk person that was driving 102mph in a 40mph and drinking and smoking weed at 7am with a minor in the car with him. He could have killed anyone on the road and this isn’t about the victim. This is about the person that had no disregard for the safety of the public. The minor that was in his car even admitted to drinking and smoking while driving 102mph in a 40mph speed limit and hit the victims car head on and flipped his car 4 times and put him in a coma. This isn’t about the victim and this is about the drunk driver who had no regard for public safety and could have killed anyone. There is 6 sworn statements that he almost hit them right before he crashed head on into the victims vehicle and almost killed the guy. The facts of the matter are he was drunk while smoking weed and driving 62mph OVER the speed limit and traveling 102mph. This isn’t about the victim and this is about the guy that is still driving and putting other people in danger everyday. This drunk driver that puts me and all the other people that live on millhopper road in danger every day only spent 4 hours in jail and his parents spent $10,000 cash to bond him out and spent $15,000 cash to retain a lawyer. This rich family is even fighting all of the tickets that this drunk driver was issued. I live on millhopper road and I work in law enforcement and it discusses me to know that he is still driving and putting everyone in danger. He has no regard for anyone’s public safety and was drinking and smoking weed while driving 102mph with a minor in the car with him at 7am. I did not work this accident but I live on the same road and I’m in fear of my life every morning I get in my car and travel down this road with people like this on the road still. I know for a 100% that the comments on this story that’s defending the drunk driver is from people that are related to him and trying to shift the blame. However this is about the drunk driver who had no regard for anyone and the bloodwork says he was drunk and high and his cars black box said he was driving 102mph.
——
On 08/21/2023 | received an email from FDLE reference Rafter’s blood test results. In the blood test, it showed an Ethyl alcohol level of 0.068. The legal limit for someone under 21 is 0.02 and he is above the legal limit and is being charged with DUI.
Then on 09/07/2023, I received Rafter’s blood results showing he had the failing in his system; 11-hydroxy-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-Nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol, and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Due to Rafter’s blood test results. Rafter will be being charged via sworn complaint with DUI W/ Serious Bodily Injuries, DUI W/ Property Damages, DUI, Possession of Alcohol under the age of 21, and Possession of Drug paraphernalia. the minor passenger will be charged via sworn complaint with Tampering with evidence and possession of alcohol under the age of 21
————
Trooper Morgan and Trooper Prieto conducted the search warrant for Rafter’s vehicle. CPL Morgan advised that he conducted an Electronic Date Recorder “DR” download from Rafter’s vehicle. CPL Morgan advised he learned Rafter was traveling 102 MPH in a 40 MPH zone at the time of the crash.
——
. Trooper Chewing added that per Shands Staff it appeared Rafter was intoxicated via alcohol. Trooper Chewing stated she was able to contact passenger who post Miranda Warning ( see body cam) noted that Rafter and himself had been drinking alcohol the night before and that morning while riding around. Trooper Chewing noted the passenger advised her that all the drugs in the center console was Rafter’s. but they had both smoked marijuana right before the crash while drinking alcohol.