$250K bond set for Flagler County woman accused of suffocating husband in hospital

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A Flagler County woman accused of murdering her husband inside his Daytona Beach hospital room will be allowed to bond out of jail.

Daytona Beach police said Jan Sochalski covered her husband’s nose and mouth until he suffocated.

The judge didn’t give a reason for issuing the woman bond, but he set it higher than the $100,000 her defense attorney wanted.

The judge issued a $250,000 and ruled she must surrender her passport if she gets out of jail, but so far she hasn’t started the bonding process.

Jan Sochalski’s husband, Butch Sochalski, was recovering from elective back surgery at Florida Hospital in Daytona Beach.

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He was expected to make a full recovery, but police said Jan Sochalski went into his hospital room and covered his mouth and nose, killing him.

The couple was married 44 years and met in high school.

Butch Sochalski was a retired officer from Trenton New Jersey.

Prosecutors said he had a pension and a nice home in Palm Coast.

“So she has substantial assets for a bond,” said the prosecutor in court Tuesday.

They argued for no bond, but if one was granted, they wanted it to be a minimum of $250,000.

Her public defender argued for a lower bond since she has family in the area and other ties to the community.

But the judge granted her a $250,000 bond on a second-degree murder charge.

Her attorney, Matt Phillips, said the charge is too harsh.

“This is a very unusual allegation, she’s disputing this allegation. She did not cause her husband’s death,” said Phillips.

Her attorney would not offer any explanation on why he believes she didn’t kill her husband.

Jan Sochalski told police she was just hugging him, and wanted to be close to him to hear his breathing.

Cox Media Group