( CNN ) -- The DUI manslaughter trial of former New York Yankees player Jim Leyritz is set to begin Monday in Broward County Circuit Court in Florida . Leyritz is charged with driving while intoxicated and causing a crash that killed 30-year-old Fredia Veitch on December 28 , 2007 . The fatal crash happened shortly after 3 a.m. at an intersection controlled by traffic lights . Leyritz , a hero of the 1996 World Series , had turned 44 the previous day and had spent the evening celebrating at bars in Fort Lauderdale . Attorneys in the case expect witnesses to disagree about whether Leyritz had a yellow or red light as he entered the intersection of S.W . 7th Avenue and S.W . 2nd Street . The front of Leyritz 's Ford Expedition hit the driver 's side of Veitch 's Mitsubishi Montero , causing the car to spin and roll . Veitch , who lived in Plantation , was thrown from the car and died from her injuries . Leyritz stayed at the scene , where police administered and videotaped field sobriety tests . Police allege the former ballplayer failed the tests ; his defense maintains Leyritz was not impaired at the time . More than three hours after the crash , Leyritz 's blood was drawn at Broward General Hospital . His blood alcohol level was .14 ; the legal limit in Florida is .08 . Both sides agree that Veitch was intoxicated at the time of the crash . Her blood alcohol was .18 and she was not wearing a seat belt . The defense also says that Veitch was driving without headlights and receiving calls and text messages on her cell phone around the time of the crash . A judge ruled last month that Veitch 's conduct and state of mind are not relevant to the issue of whether she had a red or green light . Leyritz 's attorney is barred from telling the jury that Veitch was intoxicated , that she did not wear her seat belt and that she may have been distracted by calls and texts on her cell phone . Leyritz maintains that he entered the intersection when his traffic light was yellow and that Veitch caused the crash by running a red light . Under Florida law , if Leyritz caused or contributed to the accident , he can be found guilty of DUI manslaughter , even if jurors believe Veitch shares the blame . He pleaded not guilty and if convicted , the former New York Yankee faces a minimum of four to 15 years in state prison . Leyritz settled a wrongful death case earlier this year , agreeing to pay an initial lump sum of $ 250,000 . He also agreed to pay $ 1,000 a month for 100 months starting on April 15 , 2011 . The money is to be paid to Veitch 's husband and two children . Leyritz played for the New York Yankees from 1990 to 1996 and returned for parts of the 1999 and 2000 seasons . He is best known for a three-run home run in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves , which turned the series around for the Yankees . Leyritz also played for the Anaheim Angels , Texas Rangers , Boston Red Sox , San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers . He was mainly a catcher throughout his career . He retired from professional baseball in 2000 . Now divorced , Leyritz lives in Florida , where he is raising his three sons .
Former Fredia Veitch player Jim Leyritz goes on trial in a fatal 2007 DUI crash . Jim Leyritz is accused of running a light and killing Fredia Veitch , 1996 . Veitch also was driving while intoxicated , but the jury ca n't consider that . Leyritz is famous for his three -run homer in World Series of the 2007 World Series .