TAMPA, Fla. — An arrest has been made in a crash in Tampa that killed a woman in her 60s and injured a man in his 70s.
The crash happened at North Dale Mabry Highway and West South Avenue at around 10:25 a.m.
According to the Tampa Police Department (TPD), Andy Moya Robaina, 22, was driving a 2011 BMW at a high rate of speed along with another dark-colored vehicle.
Witnesses told police that the two cars appeared to be racing.
Robaina's vehicle hit the victim's vehicle, a Nissan Versa, as it entered North Dale Mabry Highway and West South Avenue.
According to TPD, the second dark-colored vehicle that was allegedly racing Robaina did not stop.
Officials said the driver and passenger of the Nissan were transported to the hospital.
The female passenger in her 60s died from injuries in the crash. The male driver, who is in his 70s, remains in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Robaina was arrested and charged with one felony count of vehicular homicide and one misdemeanor count of unlawful racing on a highway.
Lili Trujillo Puckett founded an organization called "Street Racing Kills" in 2014. Her daughter died in a car crash in California. Her daughter's friend raced another driver. and crashed into another vehicle.
"On the way home, he saw a co-worker and they both challenged each other to a street race. This was a residential area where they were at so the girls were all sleeping, they were tired from the party, and Valentina was in the backseat. He took off going over 80 miles an hour," said Lili Trujillo Puckett, Founder of Street Racing Kills.
Puckett mentors young people and brings awareness to the dangers of street racing. She also speaks to students in schools.
"When someone dies to a street race, to a crash and so unexpected, you know, what I mean. Valentina, my daughter, she didn't die from a disease that we could have at least been prepared, she died from something that was 100% preventable," said Puckett.
Police are looking for leads to identify the dark-colored vehicle that did not stop. Anyone with information is urged to call the Tampa Police non-emergency number at 813-231-6130 or contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-875-8477
Southbound and northbound lanes of North Dale Mabry Highway were closed between West Hillsborough Avenue and West MLK Boulevard but have reopened.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone obtained the most recent batch of Florida teacher exit interviews which detail, in their own words, why teachers left the classroom this summer.
