A 21-year-old illegal immigrant was apprehended following a tragic Central Florida hit-and-run crash that killed a 19-year-old woman.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office apprehended the man who fled the scene of a recent deadly crash in Riverview, near Tampa. The HCSO Communications Center got a 911 call reporting a traffic crash at Providence Road and Bloomingdale Avenue. Upon arrival, deputies found a 19-year-old female driver deceased at the scene.
The driver of the second vehicle involved fled the scene on foot before police arrived.
According to preliminary inquiry results and witness statements, the female victim was driving on Providence Road when she was hit by another vehicle on Bloomingdale Avenue that was speeding through a red light.
During their investigation, officers identified the driver who left as 21-year-old Roberto Carlos Meza Rosales. When detectives discovered him within hours of the incident, he confessed to fleeing the scene. Alcohol is believed to have played a role in the incident, as Meza Rosales showed signs of impairment.
Meza Rosales, a Honduran national residing in Hillsborough County, entered the United States illegally in 2018. HCSO was cooperating with US Customs and Border Protection on his immigration status.
Meza Rosales was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash. Additional costs may be anticipated.
“This is an absolute tragedy that should have never happened,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “On a day that should have been filled with celebration and time spent with loved ones, a family is now grappling with unimaginable loss. My thoughts are with them as they face this painful road ahead.”
Local law enforcement reports that the case is an ongoing inquiry.