Man defends himself during trial; claims he wasn't the driver after deadly crash

TAMPA, Fla. - Jeremy Guerrero got on the witness stand to defend himself Tuesday. In a defiant and cavalier tone, he told the jury he wasn't the driver the day of a deadly crash.

"Hell no," he testified.

Guerrero was charged with DUI manslaughter after investigators say he caused a deadly crash on Nov. 15, 2019, that killed 57-year-old Maria Perez on I-75 near Big Bend Road.

He pointed the finger at the woman in the car with him. He says she was behind the wheel.

"She was high, and she was on drugs," he stated.

Prosecutor Ross Brooks pointed to a Circle K gas station surveillance video. They said it shows Guerrero getting into the driver’s seat of a car minutes before the deadly crash.

"You're going to see the defendant get into the driver’s seat and drive away from the gas station," argued Brooks. 

But on the stand, Guerrero insisted when they left the gas station he made one more stop.

"We make it about a couple of lights down I pulled over to the side of the road and quickly switched seats," explained Guerrero.

They said Guerrero was high on meth when he plowed into Perez's vehicle, and she slammed into a tree. Perez, a mother of five, died at the scene.

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The defense is focusing on the DNA found on the car’s airbags, especially on the driver’s side.

Guerrero insisted the woman was the driver and in fact her DNA was found on the driver’s side airbag, Guerrero's DNA was on the passenger side airbag.

He felt that evidence was being ignored and yesterday ranted about it as he was being escorted during a court recess.

"DNA don't lie!" he shouted. 

But, it's Guerrero's own words that could have the biggest impact on the jury.

Deliberations begin tomorrow morning.