An 18-year-old minor league baseball player in the Atlanta Braves organization has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that left one man dead and another injured on Interstate 75 in Florida, authorities said.
According to atlantanewsfirst.com/ Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Jonathan Matos Morales was taken into custody following a multi-vehicle crash that occurred Monday morning in Manatee County.
Investigators allege the incident began when Matos Morales, driving a Ford Mustang, was weaving through traffic before striking a Chevrolet Trailblazer.
The impact forced the SUV into the path of a semi-truck, causing the truck to overturn and block multiple lanes of traffic.
Victim killed in chain-reaction crash
Authorities confirmed that the driver of the semi-truck, a 34-year-old man identified as Stavan Albert Facey of New Smyrna Beach, was killed at the scene. The driver of the SUV sustained minor injuries.
Officials described the crash as a violent chain reaction triggered by the initial collision.
Suspect briefly stopped, then fled
Investigators said Matos Morales initially stopped after the crash but then fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.
Troopers later located the damaged vehicle after the Atlanta Braves organization reportedly identified it at a team facility and alerted authorities.
FHP credited the organization’s cooperation as a key factor in quickly identifying the suspect.
Matos Morales was arrested and booked into the Manatee County Jail. He faces multiple felony charges, including:
Vehicular homicide
Leaving the scene of a crash involving death
Court records show he appeared before a judge shortly after his arrest and is being held pending further proceedings.
The Atlanta Braves confirmed they are aware of the incident involving a former minor league player and stated they are cooperating fully with law enforcement. The organization declined further comment.
Florida Highway Patrol officials said the investigation remains active as they continue to reconstruct the crash and determine the full sequence of events.
Story Credit: fox13news.com
Leave a Reply