DUI driver accused of fleeing scene after Pasco County crash leaves man dead, woman paralyzed: FHP

SPRING HILL, Fla. - A suspected drunk driver is facing several felony charges after troopers say he fled the scene of a four-vehicle crash on U.S. 19 in Pasco County that left a man dead, a woman paralyzed, and another man injured with two broken legs.

The backstory:

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened shortly before 9:30 a.m. Monday on U.S. Highway 19 north of Little Road.

Investigators say Gregorio Santoni Reyes was driving a Toyota sedan northbound on U.S. 19 when he first hit the back of a Mazda vehicle driven by Jared Andrew Steele, 39, of Spring Hill.

Troopers say Reyes then sideswiped a Ford SUV driven by Dylana Joli Andros, 22, who had passenger Alexis Noel Witt, 24, inside.

According to investigators, the crash forced the Ford SUV across the median and into southbound traffic, where it collided head-on with a Hyundai SUV driven by Jonathan M. Quiles, 41, of Spring Hill.

Quiles suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital, where he later died, troopers said.

Investigators say Witt suffered catastrophic injuries that left her paralyzed from the waist down, while Andros suffered two severely broken legs.

Dig deeper:

A witness told troopers Reyes stopped briefly in the northbound left lane with his hazard lights flashing for about two minutes before driving away without getting out of his car to help victims or exchange information.

About 30 minutes later, deputies with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office located Reyes roughly 14 miles away in a Walgreens parking lot on Cortez Boulevard near Spring Hill.

According to the arrest report, Reyes was found parked across two spaces with his feet hanging out of the vehicle window while the car was still running.

Troopers said Reyes showed multiple signs of impairment, including slurred speech, glassy and bloodshot eyes, pinpoint pupils and difficulty standing or sitting upright. Investigators also reported smelling alcohol on him.

Medical testing later performed at Oak Hill Hospital showed Reyes had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.177, more than double Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, according to investigators.

Trooper threatened at hospital

Troopers say Reyes later became aggressive at the hospital and tried to escape his room around noon. He had to be sedated and restrained to a hospital bed after allegedly threatening a trooper, FHP said.

According to investigators, Reyes repeatedly told a trooper, "I wish we were outside right now, I would kill you! I want to kill you right now if I could."

Reyes was arrested shortly after 2:30 p.m. He faces the following charges:

• Hit-and-run involving death
• Hit-and-run involving serious bodily injury (2 counts)
• Hit-and-run involving property damage (3 counts)
• DUI involving property damage (3 counts)
• DUI involving serious bodily injury (2 counts)
• DUI manslaughter
• Obstructing without violence
• Threatening to kill a law enforcement officer

The crash remains under investigation. FHP has not released a mug shot of Reyes at this time.