Leosvany Arias Roman, a 22-year-old from Hialeah, is charged with felony murder, vehicular homicide, and several other felonies after allegedly driving a stolen Ford Mustang the wrong way on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at more than 140 mph and crashing head-on into an Uber, killing three people on the night of December 6, 2023. An early appellate petition he filed in 2024 was denied, and his criminal case has continued in the trial court.
How the Pursuit Started
Members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Task Force spotted the white Mustang, reported stolen by Tampa Police, at a business on West Columbus Drive around 10:20 p.m.1Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Press Release 23-222 When deputies moved in, Arias Roman started the Mustang and rammed two patrol vehicles before fleeing south on Interstate 275.2Tampa Bay Times. Driver Arrested in Wrong-Way Skyway Crash That Killed Uber Driver, Passenger
The Florida Highway Patrol took over. Speeds climbed past 140 mph. A trooper’s PIT maneuver failed. Once on the Sunshine Skyway, Arias Roman collided with the trooper’s cruiser, turned around, and drove north in the southbound lanes for roughly two miles.2Tampa Bay Times. Driver Arrested in Wrong-Way Skyway Crash That Killed Uber Driver, Passenger
The Head-On Collision
Near milepost 13, close to the rest area north of the bridge, the Mustang hit a Dodge Caravan being driven as an Uber. The crash killed the Uber driver, a 33-year-old man from Bradenton, and a 52-year-old male passenger from Columbiana, Ohio. A 51-year-old woman from Columbiana died overnight at a hospital from her injuries.2Tampa Bay Times. Driver Arrested in Wrong-Way Skyway Crash That Killed Uber Driver, Passenger A 24-year-old man from Columbiana was seriously injured. The state trooper had minor injuries. Arias Roman was hospitalized with serious injuries and later arrested. Authorities did not publicly release the victims’ names in the initial reporting.3Bradenton Herald. Uber Driver and Passengers Killed in Skyway Bridge Crash
Charges Against Arias Roman
The charge sheet tracks the full arc of the night, from the stolen car to the fatal impact:
- Felony murder
- Vehicular homicide
- Grand theft motor vehicle
- Two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon
- Aggravated fleeing and eluding involving death
- Driving without a valid license involving death
- Battery on a law enforcement officer
4Fox 13 News. Hillsborough County Sunshine Skyway Bridge Crash5People. Three Killed, Two Injured in Car Crash on Florida Bridge Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said Arias Roman “had no regard for human life,” noting that deputies had to jump clear of the Mustang to avoid being struck.1Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Press Release 23-222
The Second Man Arrested That Night
Mohamed Ali Pujol, 30, was sitting in a silver Mercedes parked next to the stolen Mustang when deputies arrived. Law enforcement said Pujol put the Mercedes in drive and accelerated toward a deputy, who jumped out of the way.6WFLA. Deadly Skyway Crash Suspect’s Partner in Crime Tried to Hit Deputies With Mercedes Pujol fled but was stopped by Tampa Police using stop sticks on North Nebraska Avenue.1Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Press Release 23-222 He was arrested on several felony charges. No plea or trial outcome for Pujol has been publicly disclosed in available reporting.
Where the Case Stands
In 2024, Arias Roman filed a petition with the Second District Court of Appeal of Florida. The case, Leosvany Arias-Roman v. State of Florida, No. 2D2024-0746, was decided on August 23, 2024. The panel issued a per curiam order denying the petition without a published opinion.7FindLaw. Leosvany Arias-Roman v. State of Florida, No. 2D2024-0746 The denial left whatever relief he sought unaddressed on the record, and the prosecution has continued in the trial court. No civil lawsuits filed by the victims’ families have surfaced in available reporting.