A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of Julian Lasseter, who lost his life in a March 2022 traffic collision involving WWE Hall of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch, is scheduled to go to trial on March 25 in Florida.
The lawsuit, seeking damages exceeding $30,000, alleges that on March 25, 2022, Sytch was under the influence while operating a vehicle southbound on N. Yonge Street near the intersection of W. Granada Boulevard in Ormond Beach, Volusia County. Lasseter was also driving southbound on the same road when Sytch allegedly rear-ended his vehicle. The crash caused severe injuries that led to Lasseter’s death that same day.
According to the lawsuit, Sytch’s negligence resulted in financial and emotional hardships for Lasseter’s family. It states that his adult daughter has suffered and will continue to endure emotional pain, as well as the loss of her father’s companionship, guidance, and support. The family has also incurred medical and funeral expenses due to the incident.
During her criminal sentencing, Sytch expressed remorse, apologizing to the Lasseter family and stating that she wished she could trade places with him. In a later interview with TMZ, she described the crash as a “terrible accident.”
Sytch was sentenced to prison in November 2023 after pleading no contest to DUI manslaughter and several related charges. At the time of the crash, she had an unsealed vodka bottle in her vehicle and cannabis in her system. Additionally, she was driving without a valid license and had prior arrests related to driving offenses in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Her conviction included one count of DUI manslaughter (a third-degree felony), one count of causing death while driving with a suspended or revoked license (a third-degree felony), four counts of DUI causing injury, and three counts of DUI causing property damage. Initially sentenced to 17 years in prison, followed by eight years of probation, Sytch is currently incarcerated at a facility in Ocala, Florida, with a scheduled release date of November 2, 2039. The court has denied her requests to serve her sentences concurrently.
Despite her felony conviction, Sytch remains a WWE Hall of Fame inductee. While WWE has previously suspended members like Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Snuka, no one has ever been officially removed from the Hall of Fame. Sytch is the first inductee to be convicted of a felony post-induction.
