Bradenton Man Convicted in Deadly Hit-and-Run Crash, Faces Decades in Prison

A Bradenton man could spend up to 40 years behind bars after a jury found him guilty of killing a motorcyclist in a hit-and-run crash and attempting to cover it up.

Juan Victor Santizhernandez, 25, was convicted by a Manatee County jury on June 25 of three felony charges: driving without a valid license causing death, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, and tampering with evidence. The charges stem from a deadly collision that occurred on the night of September 3, 2023, at the intersection of U.S. 41 and 7th Street West in Palmetto.

According to investigators, Santizhernandez was driving a truck without a valid license when he turned directly into the path of motorcyclist Hoang Vuong, who had the right of way. Vuong died at the scene. Rather than stopping to render aid or call for help, Santizhernandez fled, eventually stopping in a field to dislodge the motorcycle from his vehicle before continuing to Bradenton via back roads and the Green Bridge.

Surveillance footage and investigative work by local authorities led to Santizhernandez’s arrest. Detectives used the truck’s license plate to identify him and reconstruct the events that followed the fatal crash.

Prosecutors emphasized the recklessness and callousness of Santizhernandez’s actions, pointing to the avoidable nature of the crash and his efforts to evade responsibility. The court heard emotional testimony from Vuong’s family, who described the devastating impact of the loss of a beloved husband and father.

Santizhernandez now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of four years in prison, with the potential for up to 40 years if the sentences for each conviction are served consecutively. His sentencing is scheduled for August 20, 2025.