Driver in horrific MacArthur Causeway crash now charged with vehicular homicide
A driver who police said was responsible for the horrific crash on the MacArthur Causeway last week that sent a young woman to the hospital fighting for her life and another injured is facing a new charge.
Nicholas Robinson, 24, was originally charged with DUI and reckless driving both resulting in serious bodily injury after he crashed into 18-year-old Gabriela Rios Flores' car in the early hours of Friday morning, according to the arrest report.
On Tuesday, Miami Beach police said Flores had died Monday night from injuries sustained in the crash and charges against Robinson had been upgraded to include vehicular homicide.
According to arrest documents, Robinson was driving a silver Polestar Model 2 that collided with Flores' Jeep Wrangler, which was disabled on the left side of westbound lanes of the MacArthur Causeway, just west of Terminal Isle.
The crash
Moments before the crash, a Miami Beach Police K-9 officer helped push Flores' Jeep out of the roadway and onto the shoulder to get out of the way of traffic. Once the officer made a U-turn on Bridge Road to head east, he saw a silver sedan—later revealed to be Robinson's Polestar—speeding west at an estimated 100 mph in a 40 mph zone, the arrest documents said. At that time, the officer saw Robinson lose control of his car and begin to swerve.
Robinson's Polestar then struck a cement road divider and continued driving forward until it struck the back of Flores' Jeep. This caused her car to overturn another road divider and eject her from the vehicle. Another person in the Jeep was also injured in the crash.
A Miami Beach Police sergeant, who was driving west on the causeway, raced to the crash scene and conducted a traffic stop and ordered Robinson to step out of the car.
As he was being detained, Robinson spontaneously asked the sergeant "Why are you stopping me, it's my birthday and did you get the other car," appearing to be completely unaware that he had just caused a serious car crash, the arrest documents said.
When a Miami Beach Police detective arrived at the crash site, he noted that exhibited "possible signs of impairment," according to the arrest report. Robinson reportedly told the detective that he was out celebrating his birthday at a lounge. According to the arrest documents, Robinson had slurred speech and an odor of an alcoholic beverage, prompting the detective to ask him to take a blood test; however, Robinson refused.
Due to the circumstances surrounding the crash, detectives requested Miami Beach Fire Rescue to draw Robinson's blood while on the scene once a search warrant was obtained. He was then taken to the Miami Beach Police Station for processing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5 hurt as ambulance, police SUV crash blocks apart in Manchester
Five people were injured in nearly back-to-back crashes near Elliot Hospital involving an ambulance, a police SUV and two other cars Wednesday. An AMR ambulance and a Volvo wagon collided around 11:40 a.m. near the entrance to the hospital and the intersection of Tarrytown Road and Nelson Street, Manchester fire officials said. The ambulance was responding to a call when the collision caused the driver to lose control and the rig rolled over. Manchester Police said the ambulance was entering the intersection with its lights and siren activated when the accident happened. The two medics in the front seat of the ambulance were trapped inside, but fire crews helped them remove the front windshield so they could get out. They were taken to the hospital for evaluation. Police said the driver of the Volvo reported no injuries. While crews were working at that crash scene, a Ford Explorer driven by a Manchester Police officer collided with a Jeep Compass near the intersection of Valley and Jewett streets, just a few blocks over and near the other side of the Elliot. The Jeep rolled over and crews had to extricate the driver and a passenger who were trapped inside, fire officials said. Doors were removed from the driver's side of the Jeep. Police said the officer and the two occupants of the Jeep were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The identities of the people involved were not released. Anyone who witnessed either accident is asked to call Manchester Police at 603-668-8711.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ICE denies Detroit high school student's request to stay in U.S. until graduation
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has denied a request by a Detroit high school student to stay in the U.S., according to his attorney. Maykol Bogoya Duarte, 18, of Detroit, who is currently in an ICE detention center in Louisiana, had requested on Monday, June 9, a stay of removal filed by his attorney, Ruby Robinson. But that request was denied by ICE on Wednesday, June 11. The denial means that Duarte, an immigrant from Colombia who lived in Detroit, may soon be deported once ICE is able to gather other Colombian nationals for a plane to Colombia. The jail where Duarte is currently housed, Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center in Louisiana, is known as a staging area for immigrants about to be deported, Robinson said. The denial came despite desperate pleas by Duarte and his supporters in Michigan. More than 1,600 have signed a petition asking for his release until he can graduate from high school. Duarte has just three to four credits remaining to get his diploma, Robinson said. Elected officials, including Detroit's two U.S. House representatives, issued statements calling for his release. More: Border Patrol arrested a Detroit student on a field trip. He now faces deportation. U.S. House Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, said June 11 he sent a letter June 10 to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asking for "an immediate update on his well-being, the reasons why he was initially targeted by law enforcement, and that he be granted a stay of deportation to complete his education." A protest was planned for late Wednesday outside an ICE office building in downtown Detroit on Michigan Avenue. The mother of Duarte said she's appreciative of the community support, saying in a statement through the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center: "Mil mil gracias," or "Thanks a million." More: Detroit high school student detained by ICE pleads to halt deportation until graduation Duarte, a student at Western International High School, was stopped by Rockwood police in May while headed to a field trip in a Downriver park along with some other students. He was accused of tailgating a police officer in an unmarked car. Rockwood police then called Border Patrol, who then arrested Duarte. He was later transported to an ICE jail five hours north in Sault Ste. Marie and is now in Louisiana. ICE did not comment June 11 on Duarte's case, but has previously said he was an illegal alien who had a previous order of deportation. Robinson said Duarte and his mother had previously applied for asylum after entering the U.S. about one and a half years ago. There was a protest in support of immigrants on June 11 in a separate case outside the McNamara Federal Building on Michigan Avenue after some claimed ICE had arrested immigrants showing up for court cases. The arrests could not be immediately verified, but an ICE spokesman released a statement to the Free Press saying that ICE officers have permission "to conduct civil immigration enforcement actions in or near courthouses when they have credible information that leads them to believe the targeted alien(s) is or will be present at a specific location." Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@ X @nwarikoo or Facebook @nwarikoo This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: ICE denies a Detroit high school student's request for stay of removal
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
North Adams man sentenced to prison for raping three-year-old
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A North Adams man was sentenced to prison on Wednesday for multiple charges related to rape of a child. 'Upskirting' case involved multiple victims, Berkshire County DA urges update on Massachusetts law Berkshire District Attorney's Office Chief of Operations Julia Sabourin shared in a news release that 29-year-old Austin Miller-Robinson was sentenced to 18 to 20 years in state prison for the charges of Aggravated Rape of a Child with Force and Rape and Abuse of a Child Aggravated by Age Difference. This sentencing stems from an investigation beginning in 2019, in which Miller-Robinson raped a three-year-old child. He was found guilty on June 4. 'This is an important victory for the children and citizens of Berkshire County,' said Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue. 'I will always advocate for the strongest possible penalties under the law for anyone who harms our children.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
