Justice for Jake? Man sentenced to 20 years in College Champ’s death

By FloridaBicyclist

John Horne was sentenced to 20 years in prison and 10 years of probation for killing  25-year-old Florida State University graduate student Jake Boykin in 2023.

According to court records, Horne, who was 60 years old at the time of the crash and lives in Tallahassee, was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death (for which he was sentenced to 20 years jail and 10 years probation) and DUI manslaughter (for which he was sentenced to 14 years in jail and 1 year probation). The sentences will be served concurrently. More details of Horne’s arrest were also released in the court case.

According to a Florida Department of Corrections pre-sentence investigation, on Sept. 22, 2023, witnesses saw a red pickup truck hit Boykin and leave the scene. While on his way to the crash scene, a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy came across a red Chevrolet pickup truck, with front end damage pulled over on the right shoulder. The Deputy observed a man, later identified as Horne, attempting to remove a black and white bicycle frame that was lodged in the front bumper of the pickup truck.

“As (the deputy) approached Mr. Horne, he could smell alcohol and Mr. Horne appeared to be unsteady on his feet and was swaying,” the document stated. “Mr. Horne appeared to have either spilled a liquid on his pants or urinated as his pants were visibly wet in the groin area.”

According to records, the deputy also saw a case of Yuengling Beer in the cab of the truck along with two empty bottles and two full bottles, all of which were cold to the touch. Horne was handcuffed and told that he was being detained for a hit and run investigation. He told deputies that he bumped into something. Deputies asked Horne if he needed an ambulance and he said no, but then passed out in the grass, at which time an ambulance was called.

According to court records, Jefferson County EMS transported Horne to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital where he consented to a voluntary blood draw where his blood alcohol level was 0.321, which is three times over the legal limit.

According to court records, Boykin was also taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and was pronounced dead at 6:10 a.m. on Sept. 23. Horne told police “that he has no recollection of the day in question.”

Boykin, who placed fourth in the Overall Men’s Open at the 2023 USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships, was training for a century ride on Wacissa Springs Road, east of Tallahassee, when he was hit by Horne’s pickup truck.

According to USA Cycling, Boykin was a Ph.D. student specializing in Muscle Physiology at Florida State University. He earned his Master’s of Science in Kinesiology from Texas Tech in 2022 and his Bachelor’s from Gustavus Adolphus College where he played on the school’s football team.

In May of 2023, he won the Club Time Trial for FSU Cycling and also earned fourth in the Overall Men’s Open at the 2023 USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships in Albuquerque, N.M.

Boykin’s father, Ken, told WCTV that’s its been “excruciating” to no longer have his son in he and his wife’s lives.

“We realized early on that no matter what the sentence was, that it was never going to bring Jake back,” Ken told the station. “It’s just really painful. And, the justice part of it doesn’t make us whole again, and it never will.”

An X account: @JB_DSYS based on the phrase “Don’t skim your story” was set up shortly after Boykin’s death.

“Jake had these words written on his whiteboard for the last 2.5 years. And that is truly how Jake lived his life. He didn’t want to skim his story, he wanted to live full gas, he wanted to do interesting things, he wanted to have good adventures. And he did. And by all accounts, he brought a lot of people with him along the way,” a pinned post on the account reads. “We are so grateful for the wonderful moments and memories we all have of Jake. To know Jake was to love him. We ask that you take him with you. Take his examples of kindness, faith, fearlessness, honesty, love and joy with you. Let him encourage your sense of adventure and wonder. And enjoy life! Jake would not want anyone to skim their story.”

In response to the sentencing @JB_DSYS posted, “No amount of jail time will ever bring Jake back and it will never make our lives whole again. We miss Jake hourly. We are so grateful for all family and friends that have supported us during this time. We thank the State Attorney’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, the Tallahassee community and Florida State University.”