Brian Silber Law

Civil Forfeiture Attorney

Free Initial Consultation

(954) 462-3636

Show the Way

Rey Villanueva Arrested on DUI Charges After Fatal Miami Hit-And-Run Crash Involving Motorcyclist

By

accident-action-asphalt-1797290-300x187Rey Villanueva was arrested on DUI charges for his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist.

Villanueva, 30, was arrested on charges that include reckless driving, leaving the scene with property damage, leaving the scene with death, and DUI manslaughter. Attorney information was not available.

According to the Miami Police Department, the hit-amd-run crash occurred at around 7 a.m. on March 21 at the intersection of U.S. 1 and SW 17th Avenue in Miami. A motorcyclist and a Toyota Camry were struck by someone driving a Chevy Impala.

The motorcyclist, whose name has not been released, was rushed to an area hospital, where he later died. It is unclear if the driver of the Camry was injured.

The driver of the Chevy didn’t stop and continued driving until he jumped a curb and crashed into a light pole. Police who arrived at the scene reported finding the driver of the Chevy “with his license plate in his bloody hands,” according to the report. The driver was identified as Villanueva.

The officers reported that “a strong odor of alcoholic beverage” emitted from Villanueva. He agreed to perform field sobriety tests, and after five tests, including the walk and turn and one leg stand, the officers determined that he was impaired, the report said.

Villanueva refused to take a breathalyzer test, but he was required to give blood since the crash caused a death. It is unclear if his blood alcohol content was above the legal limit.

Another DUI case was reported in Miami-Dade on March 15. State corrections officer Miya Bell of Homestead was arrested on March 9 for allegedly driving under the influence while her children were in the vehicle.

Bell, 27, is charged with DUI, child abuse, battery on an officer, and resisting an officer with and without violence. She was ordered held on $25,000 bond. News sources did not name an attorney for her.

According to the arrest report, police were called to Larry and Penny Thompson Park after someone reported seeing an SUV being driven recklessly in the area of SW 184th Street and 127th Avenue.

The responding officers reportedly saw the SUV switching lanes several times without signaling, almost causing an accident. The officers eventually managed to get the driver to pull over and she was identified as Bell, according to the report.

Bell allegedly reeked of alcohol, had bloodshot and watery eyes, and spoke in slurred speech. She told the officers that she had come from “the club,” the report claims. The officers noted that her two young children were sleeping in the back seat of the vehicle.

Bell refused to perform field sobriety exercises and became violent when the officers tried to arrest her. The officers eventually restrained her and placed her in their patrol car. The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified about her children.

Miami DUI Attorney

If you have been involved in a DUI car crash, then you should hire an attorney. Contact us to set up a free initial consultation and work with one of Florida’s most experienced DUI attorneys.

Source: 3.22.19 He fatally struck a motorcyclist, hit a vehicle, took off and crashed again, police say.pdf

Johnathon Dujuan Thompson of Fort Lauderdale, Florida Faces DUI Charge After Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash

By

automobile-automotive-autumn-228094-300x200Johnathon Dujuan Thompson of Fort Lauderdale, Florida was arrested on DUI charges following a fatal crash that caused the death of Andy Jackson Sanford of Brandon.

Thompson, 39, is charged with DUI, leaving the scene of a crash, and driving with a suspended license. The press did not name an attorney for him.

According to the arrest report, the crash occurred at around 1:45 a.m. on Interstate 4, east of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Orient Road. Thompson was reportedly driving east when Sanford, 23, attempted to pass him on a motorcycle.

Sanford crashed his motorcycle into the back of Thompson’s vehicle. He suffered severe injuries and was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he died.

Thompson didn’t stop his car after the crash and kept on driving until he was stopped by Florida Highway Patrol troopers north of the Fletcher Avenue exit. It is unclear how the troopers determined he was driving under the influence.

Another hit-and-run incident was reported in Broward earlier this month. Travis Barlow was arrested on January 27 for his alleged role in a hit-and-run crash.

Barlow, 27, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failing to obey an officer, and driving with a suspended license. It is unclear if he has acquired the services of an attorney.

According to the arrest report, the alleged hit-and-run crash occurred on January 27 in Davie. Two officers noticed two cars speeding. The driver of the trailing car reportedly tried to capture their attention by honking and flashing her headlights.

The officers followed the two cars until they stopped at a dead end. The woman in the trailing car told them that the driver in the other car, a Toyota Camry, had struck her some minutes ago. The driver of the Camry tried to get away, making a U-turn while sticking his middle finger out at the two officers. He however lost control of the car and struck a sidewalk, disabling his car.

The driver was identified as Barrow. When the confronted by the two officers, he purportedly said that he “wasn’t driving” even though he was the only person in the vehicle. The officers searched his name and discovered he has two active warrants for driving a car with a suspended license.

Barlow was placed in the police patrol car and where he allegedly became violent. He tried to kick down the door and banged his head on the partition. He also spewed racial statements at one of the officers, the report claims. Barlow was taken to a nearby medical center where he was cleared by medical staff before he was taken to jail.

Florida DUI Attorney

If you have been involved in a DUI car crash, then you should hire an attorney. Contact us to set up a free initial consultation and work with one of Florida’s most experienced DUI attorneys.

Source: 2.22.19 Fort Lauderdale man faces DUI charge after fatal hit-and-run involving motorcyclist.pdf

Father, Son Killed in Hit-and-Run Crash on Florida’s Turnpike, Driver at Large

By

fatherson-hit-and-run-300x200Father and son, Jose Eduardo Cepeda Luna, 57, and Cesar Eduardo Cepeda, 34, were killed on the morning of February 9 in a hit-and-run crash on the Turnpike in northwest Miami-Dade.

According to FHP investigators, Cesar Cepeda was driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup east on SR-836 when he lost control and crashed into a guardrail.

Stranded on the side of the highway, Cepeda called his father, who arrived shortly after in a Chevrolet Equinox. Investigators believe the two men were outside their vehicles when a Chevrolet Camaro hit them.

The driver of the Camaro was also driving east on State Road when the vehicle reportedly lost control and struck both men and their parked cars. The father and son died at the scene. The driver of the Camaro got out of the vehicle and then fled the scene in the Equinox. It was found abandoned in Homestead thanks to an Onstar device.

“Two individuals were outside the pickup when a Camaro came in the same direction and lost control and collided with the Silverado pickup truck,” FHP Trooper Joe Sanchez told news sources.

FHP investigators searched the Camaro at FHP headquarters for clues and possible DNA evidence that could help them identify the driver. They reportedly located the owner of the vehicle but that person was not the hit-and-run driver. The owner gave FHP the names of people who had access to the vehicle, but investigators still don’t know who was the driver.

As the search for the hit-and-run driver continues, the family of the deceased is asking whoever it is to turn themselves in and bring the family some peace.

“Bring justice to the man who left them behind,” family member Josephine Sandelis-Cepeda told WPLG Local 10. “That could’ve been me and that could [have] been you out there, so unite and help us.”

Relatives and friends of Luna and Cepeda say they were the sole providers for their families. Luna is survived by his wife, four children, and several grandchildren. Cepeda left behind a wife and two small children. The family has set up a donation page to help pay for funeral and burial expenses.

Hit-and-runs accidents are a huge problem in South Florida. Statistics from the FHP show that the number of such accidents has increased every year, from 72,000 crashes in 2012 to over 99,000 in 2016. Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties have the most incidents in the region.

Florida law requires a driver to stop if they are responsible for an accident that causes property damage, personal injury, or death. Fleeing the scene will only increase the severity of the possible penalties. Accidents can be extremely stressful situations and the adrenaline rush that follows can cause a driver to make irrational decisions. Whatever your situation, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you deal with the aftermath and navigate the Florida legal system.

Source: 2.9.18 FHP identifies father, son in fatal hit-and-run crash in Miami-Dade.pdf