A driver is facing DUI manslaughter and other charges in connection with a crash in Miami-Dade earlier this month that claimed the life of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent, officials said.
Ysmael Sandoval, 35, was arrested Tuesday and also faces vehicular homicide and DUI causing damage charges in the Aug. 2 crash that killed FDLE Special Agent Jose Perez, Miami-Dade Police officials said.
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Officials said Perez was responding to an alarm call when a pickup truck crashed into his unmarked FDLE vehicle in the area of Northwest 127th Avenue and Northwest 7th Terrace around 11:45 p.m.
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The driver of the truck, Sandoval, was making a left turn and had failed to yield the right of way, investigators said.
Perez, 55, was taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital Trauma Center in critical condition and died from his injuries 18 days later, officials said.
Sandoval was also hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
According to an arrest report, first responders noticed Sandoval had signs of impairment at the scene including a smell of alcohol coming from his body and slurred speech.
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Inside his truck were an empty beer bottle and numerous unopened beer bottles, the report said.
Blood tests later showed Sandoval had a blood alcohol level of .146, well above Florida's legal limit of .08, the report said. He also tested positive for cocaine and marijuana, the report said.
Sandoval had a previous DUI conviction from August of 2008, the report said.
Police said Sandoval surrendered to detectives and was booked into jail. Attorney information wasn't available.
