A man who was charged in a deadly crash in Pompano Beach last year has an extensive history of speeding tickets, prosecutors said in court. NBC6’s Lena Salzbank reports
Officials Thursday have identified the man who died in a Pompano Beach crash last year as prosecutors revealed the alleged driver has a long history of being pulled over for speeding.
Angelo Michael Ragonese, 49, was arrested Monday in the Sept. 17 crash that killed 76-year-old William Windhurst, Broward Sheriff's officials said.
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WATCH HERERagonese on 10 charges including vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter, DUI with damage to the property or person of another, reckless driving, child abuse and child neglect, Broward jail records showed.
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Ragonese appeared before a judge in court on Tuesday, where a prosecutor detailed his history of speeding – in 2012, Ragonese was convicted twice for driving 74 mph in a 65 mph zone and 99 mph in a 65 mph zone. In 2013, he was convicted three times, and twice in 2019, according to the prosecutor.
The crash happened around 9:20 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2024 at the intersection of E. Atlantic Boulevard and Northeast 15th Avenue.
According to an arrest affidavit, Ragonese was driving a 2022 BMW M4 coupe with his juvenile son as a passenger when he was involved in a crash with a Toyota Camry.
The BMW T-boned the Toyota while it was making a turn, causing the Toyota to rotate and slide off the roadway and crash into a bank, the affidavit said.
Witnesses said Ragonese was driving the BMW recklessly, speeding and maneuvering around other vehicles before the crash, and after the crash, witnesses said Ragonese got out of the BMW and started yelling profanities at the driver of the Toyota, who was unconscious, the affidavit said.
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Ragonese and his son and the other driver were all taken to a local hospital. Both Ragonese and his son were treated and released but the Toyota driver, later identified as Windhurst, died from his injuries two days later, on Sept. 19.
Ragonese refused to provide a blood sample but blood samples were taken after a search warrant was issued, and a toxicology report showed Ragonese tested positive for cocaine, the affidavit said.
The BMW's data recorder showed it was going about 83 mph when the airbag deployed where the posted speed limit is 35, the affidavit said. It also showed the BMW obtained a maximum speed of 124 mph just prior to the crash, the affidavit said.
Ragonese remains in Broward County jail.
