Negligent Drivers Plead Guilty in Tampa

Within the past few weeks and months, negligent drivers in Tampa have pleaded guilty to various criminal offenses. These cases illustrate how dangerous drivers can be in Tampa – and both crashes killed innocent people. If you lost a loved one in a fatal crash, you already know how traumatic and life-altering these incidents can be. In this situation, a wrongful death lawsuit in Tampa may be possible.

Tampa Woman Pleads Guilty to DUI 

In February of 2025, a woman from Tampa pleaded guilty to DUI, accepting responsibility for the death of one person and the serious injuries of another. Both victims were her passengers. Police say that the defendant’s vehicle reached a speed of 110 miles per hour during a chase, and that she veered off the road during the pursuit. Her vehicle then became airborne and ejected two of her passengers.

This individual now faces life in prison for the incident. Her penalty may be particularly severe because she was on probation for a prior DUI when the crash occurred. A previous DUI on her record caused another death. Now, all that remains is for a jury to sentence her.

Man Pleads Guilty to Leaving the Scene of Crash That Killed Deputy 

In other news, a man from the Tampa Bay area pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crash that killed a deputy. This case is particularly controversial because the defendant is an undocumented migrant who has been living in the United States illegally. The crash occurred two years ago, and it involved the defendant running over a deputy at a construction site.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the court has agreed to offer the defendant a “sentence cap” of 20 years. Originally, he pleaded not guilty – but he changed his mind with advice from his defense team. The incident occurred inside a construction zone, and the defendant was operating a front-end loader when he struck the deputy. Prosecutors pointed out that the defendant made no effort to call 911 on behalf of the critically injured deputy – and they asked for a 30-year cap instead. The judge denied this request but made it clear that regardless of the sentence, the defendant will be deported from the United States.

It is not clear whether either of these cases have led to wrongful death lawsuits, but this is certainly a possibility. Families often appreciate compensation for their damages more than seeing defendants spend decades behind bars.

Can a Tampa Wrongful Death Lawyer Help Me?

 While criminal consequences may provide some closure to families affected by DUIs or hit-and-runs, they do not provide much in the way of compensation. In contrast, a wrongful death lawsuit can help families cover medical expenses, lost income, emotional distress, and other damages. To learn more about the possibility of a wrongful death claim, consider contacting the Tampa personal injury lawyers at Anderson & Anderson today.

Sources:

 tampabay.com/news/crime/2025/02/21/man-pleads-guilty-leaving-scene-pinellas-deputys-death/

yahoo.com/news/trial-begin-tampa-woman-2nd-144005146.html