Gabriela Rios was an international undergraduate student at Florida International University, majoring in communication arts. She was just 19 years old when she died days after DUI crash on the MacArthur Causeway. NBC6’s Jamie Guirola reports
A man who had been out celebrating his birthday and was allegedly speeding when he crashed into a vehicle on the MacArthur Causeway is facing a new homicide charge after the victim died on Tuesday.
Nicholas Devon Robinson, 24, was charged with vehicular homicide in a reckless manner after being previously charged with reckless driving causing serious bodily injury.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HEREDuring his court appearance on Tuesday, a judge added $100,000 to Robinson's bond and gave him house arrest if pays his total $200,000 bond.
"He is an absolute danger to the community, I think a bond is warranted on this case as well," Judge Mindy Glazer said.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
According to police, Robinson had been out celebrating his birthday early Friday and was traveling at about 100 mph when he crashed into another vehicle on the causeway.
Robinson was driving a silver Polestar Model 2 that crashed into a Jeep Wrangler that was disabled on the left side of the westbound lanes, police said.
Inside the Jeep was the victim, 19-year-old Gabriela Alejandra Rios Flores, who was ejected and taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center with life-threatening injuries.
Rios Flores later died from her injuries. Officials at Florida International University confirmed she was a student there.
Local
A second victim was outside of the victim’s Jeep and was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
The crash caused all lanes on the MacArthur Causeway to be shut down for several hours.
Moments before the crash, a Miami Beach Police K-9 officer had helped push the Jeep out of the roadway and onto the shoulder of the causeway.
The officer saw the Polestar speeding and estimated it was going 100 mph in a 40 mph zone, then watched as the Polestar lost control and started swerving before it hit a cement triangle road divider then hit the Jeep from behind, the report said.
The impact caused the Jeep to go over a cement road divider and eject Rios Flores.
A Miami Beach Police sergeant also saw the Polestar speeding at around 100 mph and though the sergeant didn't witness the actual crash, he saw a large amount of debris fly into the air and responded to the crash scene.
Robinson was placed in the back of a patrol car and while there, he started vomiting, the report said.
An officer noted in the report that Robinson also had slurred speech and an odor of alcohol and said he'd been out celebrating his birthday at a lounge. The report said Robinson's birthday was on Thursday.
Robinson refused to give a blood sample but police obtained a search warrant for a blood sample before he was booked into jail, the report said.
Evan Hoffman, Robinson's attorney, said they plan to fight the charges.
"We don’t know the position of that vehicle. Was it taking up some of the other lane? Were the officers blocking to make sure no one came by?" Hoffman told NBC6 on Tuesday. "This is a tragedy no matter how you look at it. It’s a tragedy for everyone involved. So, we do want to send our condolences. Mr. Robinson is presumed innocent at this point.”
Hoffman is also questioning Glazer's decision to place Robinson on house arrest if he posts bond. He lives in Maryland but was ordered to stay in Miami-Dade.
As of Tuesday evening, he had yet to post bond and remained in jail.
