Tow truck driver arrested in St. Pete crash that killed 2, injured boy
George Phillip Aponte, 45, of Clearwater, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the incident, which occurred Oct. 15 on 5th Avenue South near 20th Street South.
The crash occurred about 5 p.m. that day as Aponte drove west on 5th Avenue South. His truck hit a Honda CR-V driven by Shakesha Desence, 35, who had been making a left onto 5th Avenue from 20th Street South, police said.
Desence was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Her passenger, Dilean Desence, 72, died at the scene. His 9-year-old grandson, who was also a passenger in the vehicle, was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and was initially listed in critical condition. The boy was later released from the hospital but 'continues to mend from his injuries,' police said in a news release Tuesday announcing Aponte's arrest.
Aponte is facing two charges of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving causing injury. He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday; bail information was not yet available.
An arrest affidavit also was not immediately available on Tuesday to provide details about what gave police probable cause to arrest Aponte.
Records show Aponte has been cited at least nine times in Pinellas County since 2020. They include three citations for careless driving and two for driving 10 to 14 miles per hour over the speed limit.
In January, about three months after the crash, St. Petersburg police cited Aponte for driving 55 mph in a 35-mph zone on Freemont Terrace South near 34th Street, records show. Aponte pleaded no contest in March and a judge ordered him to complete a driver improvement course within 60 days, which he failed to do, records show.
Court records say Aponte was employed by A-1 Recovery at the time of the crash.
A person who answered the phone at A-1 Recovery Tuesday said no one was available to speak with a reporter and provided the name of the company's attorney. The attorney did not immediately return a voicemail message.
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