US playboy held over car deaths of British men

Kenneth Watkinson, 48, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and Craig Elford, 39, of Ratley, Warwickshire, were both killed as they walked to their ocean-front hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on February 13 last year.

A white Porsche GT2 owned by 35-year-old Ryan LeVin, the heir to a jewellery empire, mounted the kerb, hitting the two men before speeding off.

Sergeant Frank Sousa, of City of Fort Lauderdale Police, said of LeVin: "He is now in police custody. It's now a matter of waiting for a court date."

He added that LeVin was arrested in Fort Lauderdale at 10.30pm local time yesterday. He faces charges of two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing death.

Each homicide charge could carry up to 15 years in prison.

Jonathan Pavsner, who represents Mr Watkinson's widow Kirsty and their three children, said: "The family are still devastated – the kids still miss their dad and Kirsty still misses her husband.

"But they are very pleased with the state of Florida for the fact that LeVin is going to have to face justice now."

He added that LeVin, who has a history of motoring offences and drug abuse, attempted to claim a friend, Derek W Cook, had been driving the car when the accident happened.

But police had stopped the car only 12 minutes before the accident for noisily racing away from a green light with a loud exhaust, and LeVin had been at the wheel at that point.

Just moments before the crash, the Porsche and a BMW belonging to Cook were caught on camera speeding along the road.

The Porsche was later found abandoned after police failed to stop the damaged car as it drove at speeds in excess of 100mph.

Cook has been charged with being an accessory after the fact and aggravated fleeing and eluding. He is free on $8,500 bail.

At the time of the crash, LeVin, who has a record of more than 50 traffic offences, was on probation for a high-speed police chase in Chicago that left one police officer and two drivers hurt.

He also served six months in prison last year for violating his probation by failing to complete a drug treatment programme.

In addition to the criminal case, the two families are suing LeVin for compensation. He is expected to face trial later this year.

LeVin is the son of Shirley and Arthur LeVin, who founded Jewels by Park Lane, a Chicago-based business which calls itself the "world's leading direct sales fashion jewellery company".

Mr Watkinson and Mr Elford ran a pharmaceutical business, Ingala Healthcare, and were in America to recruit employees.

Mr Watkinson was living in Harbury, near Leamington Spa, with his second wife Kirsty and son Max, now aged five.

He also leaves two children from his first marriage, Jonathan, 20, and Stephanie, 17.

Mr Elford was the father of a newborn baby girl at the time of the accident. His two daughters are now aged three and one.