Three people tragically lost their lives in a devastating wrong-way crash on a Florida bridge that involved a rideshare driver and a stolen vehicle. The incident occurred on the night of December 6 on I-275 at the Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg, as reported by the Florida Highway Patrol. The authorities were called to assist the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who were pursuing a stolen Ford Mustang. The driver of the Mustang, identified as 22-year-old Leosvany Roman, crashed into two HCSO vehicles before fleeing the scene.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Roman led officers on a high-speed chase, during which he collided with an FHP trooper’s vehicle. He then reversed, rammed the trooper’s vehicle again, and fled before colliding head-on with a Dodge Caravan. Tragically, the Uber driver and one of the three passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. The second passenger succumbed to her injuries at a hospital. The driver’s reckless actions demonstrated a complete disregard for human life, as he endangered the lives of law enforcement officers as well.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister expressed his outrage, 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. The additional charges he faces will ensure the only road he’s ever on again is the one that leads straight to jail.”
The driver of the Dodge Caravan was identified as a 33-year-old man from Bradenton, Florida. Meanwhile, the passenger who died at the scene was a 52-year-old man from Ohio. The Florida Highway Patrol could not confirm if the Dodge driver was on duty for Uber at the time of the incident. Uber responded to the tragedy, stating that they have no record of the trip and that the crash does not appear to be connected to their platform.
In addition to the fatalities, a 24-year-old passenger from Ohio suffered serious injuries, and a 27-year-old trooper, who has been with the department for two years, sustained minor injuries during the incident.
Leosvany Roman now faces multiple 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 investigation into the crash is ongoing.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by reckless driving and highlights the need for stronger measures to prevent such tragedies on our roads.
