Former WWE star's downfall: Why is Tammy 'Sunny' Sytch going to prison?
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Former WWE Hall of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch was sentenced to 17 years in prison during a sentencing hearing Monday in Daytona Beach.
Her involvement in a March 2022 car crash that killed an Ormond Beach man gave way to a case that concluded this week with her sentencing.
Here is what happened since then and what we know about the former WWE Hall of Famer:
Sytch sentenced: Former WWE Hall of Famer Tammy 'Sunny' Sytch sentenced to 17 years in prison
Why is Tammy ‘Sunny’ Sytch going to prison?
Sytch was convicted of driving under the influence and causing the death of another person, plus other charges in the March 2022 crash that killed 75-year-old Julian LaFrancis Lasseter.
Sytch's vehicle crashed into the back of a stopped car at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Granada Boulevard.
According to police, a blood test taken at the time of the crash showed Sytch had a blood alcohol content of .280, which is 3-1/2 times the legal limit of .08 set by Florida law.
On Aug. 26, Sytch, 50, pleaded no contest to one count of DUI manslaughter; driving while license suspended with death; four counts of DUI with damage to person; and two counts of DUI with damage to property.
She received a 17-year prison sentence, followed by eight years of probation.
Sytch first pleaded ‘not guilty’
Almost a month after her arrest, Sytch entered a plea of not guilty to DUI causing death and other charges stemming from the deadly traffic crash in Ormond Beach.
Sytch's fiancé, James Pente, an Ormond Beach resident, said after a hearing at the time that he apologized to Lasseter's family and said Sytch feels bad about his death.
'Not guilty': Matawan's Tammy 'Sunny' Sytch, WWE Hall of Famer, pleads not guilty in fatal DUI
"She feels absolutely terrible. I can't emphasize it more. She just feels bad in general," he said. "Everybody's life's ruined."
Judge revokes Sytch’s bond
Shortly after Sytch’s arrest, prosecutors sought to revoke the WWE Hall of Famer's bond, saying she "poses a threat of harm to the community" based on past driving offenses, according to court documents.
Court records show Sytch was released from jail on May 7, a day after her arrest, after she posted a $227,500 bail.
In the week after Sytch’s initial arrest, Circuit Judge Karen Foxman agreed with the prosecution’s request and ordered Sytch’s arrest again, revoking her bond.
Sytch’s defense attorney at the time, Steven deLaroche, had asked that Sytch be allowed to remain free but required to wear an ankle monitor with an alcohol sensor. Foxman said a monitor would be too easy to evade.
Sytch gets new lawyer
When Sytch came to a pretrial hearing on June 30, 2022, she no longer had an attorney.
DeLaroche had filed a motion on June 16 to stop representing her, stating that Sytch had not complied with the terms of his employment agreement. Foxman granted the request on June 23.
New lawyer: WWE Hall of Famer Tammy Sytch getting new lawyer as judge warns her fiancé about behavior
Foxman told Sytch to fill out a form to determine if she qualified for representation by the public defender’s office, which she did.
Did Tammy ‘Sunny’ Sytch have past offenses?
Assistant State Attorney Ashley Terwilleger wrote in her motion requesting the bond’s revocation that Florida law allows for pretrial detention if there is "substantial probability" a person committed the offense and poses a threat to the community.
Her motion listed Sytch’s prior offenses, some of which include:
An arrest on May 30, 2015, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, on several charges, including driving under the influence, driving while license is suspended or revoked and careless driving.
A second arrest on June 1, 2015, again in Carbon County, on charges including driving under the influence, driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked, and reckless driving.
Another arrest on June 20, 2015, on charges including driving under the influence, driving without a license and careless driving.
What is Tammy ‘Sunny’ Sytch’s full name?
Tammy Lynn Sytch has gone by a number of other names during her wrestling career, including:
Tammy Spirit
Tammy Lynn Fytch
Tamara Murphy
Sunny
Sytch was WWE’s original ‘Diva’
In the 1990s, the WWE, previously known as the World Wrestling Federation, began using the term "diva" when referring to women in the industry.
Sytch is widely recognized as the original WWE diva.
Sytch's life: 5 things to know about Tammy 'Sunny' Sytch, former wrestler facing prison for fatal DUI
"My definition of a Diva is that all-around, well-rounded performer," Sytch told WWE.com. "The girls who came before me were so one dimensional and then I came along and anything they threw at me I could do. I could get in the ring and have a match, I managed at ringside, I co-hosted TV shows, I did broadcasting. I was the first one to do it all."
In 2016, the organization announced it would no longer use the term in regard to female performers in an effort to focus on their athleticism.
Sytch was inducted into the WWE's Hall of Fame in April 2011.
Sytch’s first championship and post-wrestling
Sytch won her first championship, the Women Superstars Uncensored Championship, in December 2007 in New Jersey. She lost the title the following March.
In 2020, Sytch created an OnlyFans account for uploading adult-oriented content.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Former WWE Hall of Famer Tammy Sytch going to prison: Here's why.
