Edgar Reyes of Davie, Florida turned himself in on August 31 at the Broward County Courthouse to face DUI charges for his alleged involvement in an April car crash that led to the death of his girlfriend, Martha Hernandez Rondon of Hollywood.
Reyes, 45, faces multiple DUI-related charges, including DUI manslaughter. He is being held at Broward Main Jail. Bond information was not immediately available and the press did not list an attorney for him.. A bulletin issued by police last week said Reyes is not a U.S. citizen, making him a potential flight risk.
According to the arrest report, the alleged car crash occurred on April 8 near State Road 7 and Interstate 595 in Davie. Reyes was reportedly driving while under the influence with Rondon, 45, when he lost control and crashed his vehicle. Rondon, a mother of two teenage sons, died at the scene of the crash.
Another DUI manslaughter case was reported on September 1 in Palm Beach County. Keenoen La Mont Stafenie of Riveira Beach was arrested on August 24 for his role in a DUI crash that led to the death of Jerome Johnson of Coral Springs.
Stafenie, 27, is being charged with DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI property damage. He was booked into Broward County Jail. It is unclear if he has acquired legal representation.
According to the police report, the alleged DUI crash occurred in April 2015 along W. Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach. Stafenie was reportedly driving west with Johnson and another friend when his vehicle drifted into another lane and crashed into a truck. Johnson was severely injured in the crash and died 10 weeks later at Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach.
A witness told investigators that Stafenie and Johnson had been smoking the synthetic drug flakka and/or marijuana before the crash. Flakka is a stimulant nicknamed “$5 insanity” that is known to cause hallucinations, bizarre behavior, and death. Stafenie’s blood tested positive for compounds that make up the drug, the report said.
Florida’s lawmakers have passed very strict DUI laws because of all the fatalities caused by drunk drivers. Law enforcement agencies are required to use a zero tolerance standard when enforcing those laws, and as a result, Florida prosecutes a large number of DUI cases every year.
DUI manslaughter is committed when a person is found to be in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance with a blood- or breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, and either directly or indirectly causes the death of another person.
It is a second-degree felony that is assigned a Level 8 offense severity ranking under the state’s Criminal Punishment Code. It carries several penalties, including up to 15 years in prison, 15 years of probation, $10,000 in fines, permanent driver’s license suspension, vehicle impoundment, completion of a course on DUI substance abuse, substance abuse treatment, and community service.
Sources: 8.31.17 Edgar Reyes of Davie, Florida Arrested on DUI Charges.pdf & 9.1.17 Keenoen La Mont Stafenie of Riviera Beach Charged with DUI Manslaughter.pdf