Teen Arrested in Fatal I-75 Hit-and-Run Crash in Manatee County
An 18-year-old driver has been arrested following a fatal hit-and-run crash on Interstate 75 in Manatee County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. near Exit 220 when a black Ford Mustang reportedly veered from the left lane into the center lane, striking a Chevy Trailblazer SUV. The impact forced the SUV into a collision with a semi-truck traveling nearby.
Authorities said the force of the crash caused the semi-truck to cross the roadway, overturn, and come to rest in the median, blocking all three lanes of traffic. The driver of the semi, a 34-year-old man from New Smyrna Beach, was killed in the crash. The driver of the SUV sustained minor injuries.
Investigators identified the Mustang driver as Jonathan Matos Morales, 18, of Cocoa. According to troopers, he briefly stopped after the crash before fleeing the scene by continuing southbound on I-75.
Florida Highway Patrol later located the vehicle and arrested Matos Morales. He is charged with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crash involving death. He was booked into the Manatee County Jail.
The crash caused significant traffic disruptions along the interstate as authorities investigated and cleared the scene. The incident remains under investigation.
