A wrong-way vehicle collision on I-275 near the Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg, Florida, resulted in the deaths of three people, including an Uber driver, following a high-speed chase involving a stolen Mustang.
The incident occurred on the night of Wednesday, December 6, due to a failed attempt by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies to stop the stolen Ford Mustang driven by 22-year-old Leosvany Arias Roman of Hialeah, Florida.
Roman reportedly rammed into two HCSO vehicles and fled, leading officers on a pursuit that culminated in a deadly head-on crash. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Roman collided with an FHP trooper’s vehicle before turning around, striking it again, and then speeding off. He eventually collided head-on with a Dodge Caravan on I-275.
The driver of the Dodge Caravan, a 33-year-old Uber operator from Bradenton, Florida, and one of his passengers, a 52-year-old man from Ohio, were pronounced dead at the scene. A second passenger, a 51-year-old woman, succumbed to her injuries at a hospital on Saturday. A third passenger, a 24-year-old from Ohio, sustained serious injuries. A 27-year-old FHP trooper also suffered minor injuries in the incident.
HCSO Sheriff Chad Chronister condemned Roman’s actions, stating, “This criminal had no regard for human life. Our deputies, facing danger, had to jump out of the way of a man they feared would run them over to get away.”
Roman faces several charges including felony murder, vehicular homicide, aggravated fleeing and eluding involving death, driving while license suspended involving death, and battery on a law enforcement officer.
The Uber company, responding to inquiries, said that they have no record of the trip, and that the crash “does not appear to be connected to the Uber platform.” Additionally, FHP could not confirm whether the Dodge Caravan driver was on duty for Uber at the time of the crash.
A second suspect, Muhammed Ali Pujol, was arrested for allegedly attempting to run over a police officer during the incident. Pujol, sitting in a silver Mercedes sedan parked next to the Mustang, reportedly sped toward a deputy, who managed to avoid being hit. Tampa Police Department officers assisted in the arrest using stop sticks.
The community has expressed condolences for the victims, with a GoFundMe campaign set up to assist with funeral and medical costs for the Ohio family involved in the crash.