JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville sailor assigned to NAS Jacksonville is accused in a high-speed drunk driving crash that killed a 41-year-old motorcyclist last year on the Buckman Bridge.
State troopers arrested Sage Michael Young, 23, on Wednesday on base and took him into custody as he was in Navy uniform and on duty.
He faces DUI manslaughter and other charges in connection with the Dec. 18 crash on I-295 at the Buckman Bridge.
Troopers told News4JAX he was going 109 miles an hour and had a blood alcohol level of .204, more than twice the legal limit.
“We were able to identify him and have and have him located there on base, he was within his command, and we worked with his command,” said Master Sgt. Dylan Bryan.
An FHP report identified the victim as Martin Lynch from Orange Park. He was on a street-legal motorized scooter. He was killed just days before what would have been his 42nd birthday.
“The victim was traveling on the Buckman Bridge on a motorcycle or, more of a scooter type vehicle,” said Master Sgt. Dylan Bryan. “The vehicle [the victim] was operating was allowed to be on the interstate, it was traveling at an appropriate speed at the time of collision.”
Bryan said Young’s SUV dragged Lynch and his scooter around two miles. Troopers spent about six months investigating before obtaining an arrest warrant. They said Young was cooperative.
“This particular case, we want to turn over every stone, we don’t want to leave anything not looked at,” Bryan said. “So our investigators did a really good job of putting everything together and building a good case.”
Young did not have an attorney on record at time of publication, nor did he have a cell phone on his arrest report. His local address is listed in Kentucky.
Naval Air Force Atlantic Commander Dawn M. Stankus issued a statement to News4JAX confirming his status and charges: “Since this is an ongoing investigation and the accused has not been convicted, I cannot provide you with too many new details.
What I can say is that a U.S. Navy Sailor, assigned to a command located on Naval Air Station Jacksonville, was arrested on June 14, 2023 for an incident that occurred on Dec. 18, 2022. As of June 14, the Sailor is officially being charged with vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter, and two counts of DUI property damage and personal injury. No official court date has been established at this time.”
Young is being held at the Duval County jail on a $180,000 bond.