A 20-year-old man charged in connection with a 2024 fatal hit-and-run crash in Manatee County may avoid a jury trial after attorneys told the court Tuesday that a plea agreement has been reached with the state.
Christopher Quezada-Cerros appeared in a Manatee County courtroom on Tuesday, Sept. 29. His case had been scheduled for a jury trial beginning Oct. 12, but his defense indicated that an agreement with prosecutors had been reached and that details still need to be finalized.
A plea agreement hearing is now scheduled for Nov. 10, 2026.
Quezada-Cerros faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and driving while his license was suspended in connection with the Nov. 20, 2024, collision that killed Dail Wayne Sullivan Jr. Quezada-Cerros was 18 at the time of the crash.
He previously entered a not guilty plea and remains out of custody after posting a combined $25,150 bond, according to current reporting on the case.
The crash occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. on U.S. 41 in the Bayshore Gardens area. According to Florida Highway Patrol information released following the crash, Quezada-Cerros was driving a black Chevrolet Tahoe northbound when Sullivan, 62, entered the northbound lanes while walking a bicycle.
The front passenger side of the SUV struck Sullivan and the bicycle, according to the investigation.
Authorities said Quezada-Cerros stopped after the collision and exited the vehicle. Surveillance footage cited in the investigation showed two people getting out of the SUV and going toward Sullivan before the vehicle left the area minutes later.
Sullivan was taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Investigators used witness statements and surveillance video to identify the black Chevrolet Tahoe believed to have been involved in the collision.
According to the arrest report, Quezada-Cerros later returned to an area near the crash and parked the Tahoe in a nearby business parking lot, where he was joined by family members. Investigators reported observing damage to the Tahoe that they believed was consistent with the collision.
Quezada-Cerros identified himself to investigators as the driver, according to the report. He was arrested at approximately 2:51 a.m. on Nov. 21, 2024.
Florida Highway Patrol reported shortly after the crash that Quezada-Cerros and a 17-year-old passenger were not injured.
The case remained headed toward trial until Tuesday’s court appearance. The Nov. 10 hearing is expected to address the proposed plea agreement and determine whether the case will be resolved without a jury trial.
The charges remain allegations unless and until resolved through a guilty plea or conviction.
