Alleged stalking leads to deadly crash

LARGO (FOX 13) - A Tampa man accused of aggressively stalking his ex-girlfriend until she crashed her car in a deadly wreck faced a Pinellas County judge on Sunday.

Yordan Acosta Cortina, 37, was arrested Saturday morning on charges of manslaughter and aggravated stalking.

His former girlfriend, Madelyn Gonzalez-Mederos, 29, of St. Petersburg, was taken to a hospital with injuries from the crash that occurred on 66th Street at 100th Avenue in Pinellas Park. It happened around just after midnight on Saturday.

Her passenger, Addienys Calderon-Martinez, 25, of St. Petersburg, died at the scene.

According to Pinellas Park Police, Acosta had been stalking Gonzalez after their 10-year relationship ended. The couple had been together since they moved to the U.S from Cuba.

Gonzalez had recently moved out of their home to live with Calderon, a co-worker and alleged new boyfriend.

Acosta was waiting in the parking lot Friday night when Gonzalez and Calderon got off work at Hit Promotional Products on Bryan Dairy Road in Largo, according to police.

Acosta planned to confront Gonzalez about the end of their relationship, but instead she drove off in Calderon's 2010 Honda Accord.

Acosta followed the pair, both vehicles driving at a high rate of speed.

Gonzalez eventually crashed the car into a pole on the southbound side of 66th Street in Pinellas Park.

"The death was caused by the erratic driving of Ms. Gonzalez, not my client," said Attorney Daniel Castillo.

According to Castillo, his client got out of his vehicle and tried to help the pair out of the wrecked car. He stayed at the scene until police arrived, telling officers he only wanted to talk to his ex-girlfriend.

Acosta was charged with aggravated stalking and manslaughter.

"It's an unfortunate situation, because we have a person who died and it's always tragic, however, to accuse my client or to put the responsibility of the death on him on these facts is stretching probable cause to the limits," said Castillo.

On Sunday, a Pinellas County judge set Acosta's bond at $20,000 for the manslaughter charge and $20,000 for the aggravated stalking charge. He was released from jail Sunday afternoon, on a condition that he must have no contact with Gonzalez and he must wear a GPS tracking device.