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Fugitive ex-cop found in South America
Aaron Mesmer reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa police say the former Polk County deputy who no-showed his trial for DUI manslaughter earlier this year has been captured in Colombia after months on the run.
The backstory:
In the early morning hours of April 13, 2022, Tampa police said Joshua Roelofs was driving at about 100 mph on the Courtney Campbell Causeway when he rear-ended a Kia Sorrento with four people inside.
The SUV overturned, investigators said, killing two 44-year-old men: Kristopher Koroly and Ricky Gongora. A 36-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman also suffered critical injuries.
Prosecutors say Joshua Roelofs was under the influence when he caused a crash in 2022, killing two people and injuring two others.
Investigators arrested Roelofs the following month on several charges, including two counts each of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter.
Jury selection in his trial was set to begin in April 2025, but Roelofs was a no-show. The judge issued a warrant for Roelofs' arrest and revoked his bond, saying he would reassess the case once Roelofs was back in custody.
On Wednesday, the Tampa Police Department said the U.S. Marshals Task Force provided information on Roelofs' whereabouts to Colombian authorities on Aug. 11.
Detectives arrested him at a hotel in Antioquia, Colombia, according to TPD. Colombian authorities flew him back to Florida on Tuesday to face charges.
Mugshot of Joshua Roelofs. Courtesy: Tampa Police Department.
Dig deeper:
Roelofs previously worked for the Polk County Sheriff's Office, but wasn't employed there at the time of the crash.
The sheriff's office previously said he was a PCSO deputy until 2015, when he was arrested for falsifying his time card.
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What they're saying:
Jorge Negrete, Gongora's father, said he's experienced the roller coaster of emotions since learning authorities captured Roelofs, after dealing with the agony of Roelof's disappearance for more than three months.
"It was heart-wrenching, it was unimaginable. It was a nightmare," he said, adding he was, "crying during the day, praying at night that justice would be served, that he would be found."
Negrete described his son as someone who was jovial and "always found a silver lining in any cloud."
Negrete was nearly at a loss for words when he learned Roelofs was staying in a luxury resort.
"This is something that is just so incredibly brazen and just he's not accepting responsibility," Negrete said, adding the time Roelofs could spend in prison is nothing compared to the time Negrete will never get with his son. "I'll never hear his voice again. He'll never call me on Father's Day, Christmas ever again. And I hope Josh thinks about that every day when he's staring at those four walls in his prison cell."
Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez said prosecutors will push for Roelofs to be held in jail without bond until his trial.
"This is something that is just so incredibly brazen and just he's not accepting responsibility," she said.
"This arrest is a significant step toward justice for the victims of the fatal crash, which tragically claimed the lives of two individuals," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement. "The apprehension also sends a clear and resounding message that the Tampa Police Department will tirelessly pursue justice, no matter how far a fugitive runs. This outcome is a testament to the dedication of our investigators and the power of strong law enforcement partnerships."
What's next:
Roelofs is being held in the Hillsborough County Jail after a judge denied bond on Wednesday afternoon.
The Source: This story was written with information from the Tampa Police Department and previous FOX 13 News reports.