US Millionaire owner of killer car could be released from prison after Midland businessman hit-and-run tragedy

Jul 19 2009 by Nick McCarthy, Sunday Mercury

The pair were in the US on a six-day trip to recruit employees for their pharmaceutical business, Ingala Healthcare, based in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Mr Watkinson, from Harbury, near Leamington, and new dad Mr Elford, from Ratley, Warwickshire, died instantly.

Both families have now filed civil lawsuits against LeVin and Cook.

Seth Miles, the Florida-based attorney of Craig Elford, told the Sunday Mercury that his family’s lawsuit alleges that LeVin was involved in the deaths by either driving the sports car or giving the keys to Cook.

Meanwhile, the family of Mr Watkinson have instructed US attorney, Jonathan Pavsner, who is also suing LeVin and Cook.

He said: “At some point in time someone is going to have to come forward and say who it was.”

He recently visited Mr Watkinson’s family in England and said the family is “not well, but they’re doing the best they can”.

LeVin was raised in a mock Tudor mansion with its own ballroom.Parents, Arthur and Shirley, made millions from the company Jewels by Park Lane, based in Illinois.

They had earlier released a statement in which they expressed sympathy with the families, but added that they were handling the matter “in private”.