PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The suspect in a fatal crash involving a rideshare and stolen Mustang is facing additional charges.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Leosvany Arias Roman, 22, is now being charged with the following:
- Aggravated assault on law enforcement officer with deadly weapon
- Burglary of unoccupied conveyance
- Resisting officer without violence
- Criminal mischief $1,000 or more
- Grand theft motor vehicle
- Reckless driving with property damage or personal injury
- Fleeing to elude highspeed
- Driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked
On Wednesday, two people, including the rideshare's driver and passenger, were killed, and others were seriously injured during the crash near the Skyway Bridge.
The Florida Highway Patrol said troopers responded to a call for assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office about a stolen Ford Mustang they attempted to stop.
FHP said Roman, the driver of the Mustang, crashed into an HCSO patrol vehicle before fleeing south on I-275 at a high rate of speed.
According to a complaint/arrest affidavit for the incident, troopers "provided speeds for the white Mustang, in excess of 140 miles per hour."
When Roman got to the Skyway Bridge, FHP said a trooper attempted to stop the Mustang, but the driver collided with the FHP vehicle, continued to the top of the bridge, turned around, and rammed the FHP car before going the wrong way on 275.
The agency said the stolen Mustang then crashed head-on into a Dodge Caravan with four people inside near the northern rest area.
The Caravan's driver, 33, who FHP said was working as a rideshare driver, and one of its passengers, 52, passed away from their injuries. The remaining two passengers, 51 and 24, and Roman suffered serious injuries and were taken to local hospitals.
The three passengers were from Ohio.
The trooper, 27, sustained minor injuries and was also taken to a local hospital.
An investigation of the crash closed the southbound lanes of I-275 until 6:40 a.m.
Roman was originally charged with felony murder, vehicular homicide, aggravated fleeing & eluding involving death, driving while license suspended involving death, and battery on a law enforcement officer.
