The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says that a man who had been deported twice was back in the country illegally when he was charged with DUI manslaughter. Investigators think that his strange death two days later was caused by injuries he got in the crash.
Officials said in a news statement that the accident happened just before 11 p.m. on April 22 near Haines City, which is about 38 miles southwest of Orlando.
In the crash, a 23-year-old driver from Davenport, Iowa, died. Detectives say that a 43-year-old driver from Mexico drove on the wrong side of the road and hit the victim “head-on.”
“There were many cans of Modelo beer in Martinez-Castro’s car.” “He also told a detective that he had several beers and Crown Royal whiskey just before the crash,” the sheriff’s office said.
“He was taken to a nearby hospital, where his ankle injury was treated… When he got out of the hospital early on Sunday, April 23, he was put into the Polk County Jail and then moved to the medical dorm for his injured ankle.”
After being taken to AdventHealth Sebring Hospital, Martinez-Castro died the next day while being held in jail, officials said.
Deputies Checked on Martinez-Castro Every 14 to 15 Minutes
From what we know so far about the case, Martinez-Castro was being watched by deputies and medical staff all morning on Monday, April 24. The sheriff’s office said that deputies checked on him every 14 to 15 minutes.
“A deputy saw him sitting in his wheelchair and not moving when his food tray came at 10:40 a.m. Deputies and medical workers started CPR right away and kept doing it until he was taken to Sebring. At 11:31 a.m., the doctor said that he was dead.”
The tweet below confirms the news:
Man deported twice is charged in fatal crash, then dies in custody, Florida cops say https://t.co/qIcmSqid8f
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) April 26, 2023
Officials said that an autopsy done on April 25 showed that the suspect died from “crash-related internal injuries” that were not found during his first visit to the hospital. Officials say that the results of drug tests are needed for the final autopsy report.
Officials said that four separate investigations are being done into the death and that the results will be sent to the State Attorney’s Office for review.
Officials say that Martinez-Castro was driving with a banned learner’s permit when he was caught. Officials say that he was sent home for the first time in 2019 after being charged with minor driving offenses.
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