Page 37 - Florida Sentinel 2-25-22

Crime
Jury Convicts Man Of Trafficking In Cocaine
Woman Injured In Hit
Motorcyclist Dies In Single-Vehicle
A 32-year-old man died Fri- day after his motorcycle crashed. He was traveling southbound on U. S. 301, along the ramp leading to westbound I-4.
Police said for undeter- mined reasons, the driver lost control of the vehicle. The mo- torcycle departed the roadway and entered the shoulder, ejecting the rider in or near an adjacent retention pond.
It is unknown when exactly the crash occurred. However, the rider was located deceased at the crash scene during the early afternoon hours of Feb- ruary 18, 2022.
And Run Accident
Accident
Last week, a federal jury convicted a 43-year-old Port St. Lucie man of trafficking in cocaine. Damian Sierra was found guilty of possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Sierra faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Sierra had been indicted on January 20, 2022. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, agents conducting surveillance observed Sierra drive to a loca- tion, get out of his car with a Christmas gift bag, and meet with another person. After Sierra left the location, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office pulled him over for a tint violation on his vehicle. Inside the car,
Suspect Fatally Stabs Elderly Man; Takes His Car
This vehicle was involved in a traffic accident that left a woman seriously injured Friday morning.
DAMIAN SIERRA
agents recovered a Christmas gift bag containing a kilogram of cocaine wrapped in tape, personal items belonging to Sierra, and a drug ledger. At the time of the incident, the drugs found with Sierra had a wholesale value of approxi- mately $40,000.
A woman was transported to a local hospital after being injured in a traffic accident. The accident took place shortly after 9 a.m. Friday morning.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a Toyota Corolla was traveling south- bound in the left turn lane of 56th Street, approaching Chelsea Street. A Mazda 3, was traveling northbound on 56th Street. At the intersec- tion, the driver of the Toyota turned left into the path of the Mazda.
As a result, the front of the Mazda struck the front right of the Toyota. The Toyota rotated to final rest blocking the inside
northbound lane of 56th Street as the Mazda was redirected off the roadway to the right where it struck a building at 4301 Chelsea Street.
Following the crash, the driver of the Toyota fled the scene on foot. He was de- scribed as a Black male with long hair and possible facial injuries.
The driver of the other ve- hicle, a 26-year-old woman, was transported to a local hos- pital, where she was admitted in serious condition.
Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to contact the FHP by calling *FHP or Crime Stoppers at **TIPS.
Bicyclist Killed
After Being
Struck By Four
Vehicles
A 30-year-old Brandon resident died Monday after being involved in a traffic acci- dent. The accident took place around 4:30 p.m., at the inter- section of U. S. 301 and State Road 60.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a pickup truck, driven by a 38-year-old Plant City man was traveling eastbound in the outside left turn lane of State Road 60, west of U. S. 301. A sedan, driven by a 42-year-old man was traveling eastbound in the inside lane of State Road 60. A 32-year-old Tampa man was driving a SUV traveling east- bound in the inside lane of State Road 60, ahead of the sedan. A 61-year-old man from Wimauma, was also trav- eling eastbound in an SUV in the outside lane of State Road 60.
The unidentified bicyclist, was traveling northbound across State Road 60, from a private roadway, and entered the path of and was struck by the four vehicles traveling east- bound on State Road 60.
The unidentified man riding the bicycle was transported to an area hospital. He later died as a result of the injuries suf- fered during the crash.
The investigation is continu- ing.
Last Friday, an elderly man was stabbed in a parking lot. Carlos Manuel Goitia, 79, of Haines City, died on Sun- day. Christopher Lynn King, 32, of Madison, FL, was arrested and charged in the at- tack.
According to the Haines City Police Department, while wearing a ski mask, King stabbed Goitia three times in the stomach at a medical com- plex parking lot on Patterson Grove Road at about 1:30 p.m. King took Goitia's keys and fled north on U. S. 27 in the victim's 2003 blue Toyota Ma- trix.
With collaboration from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the vehicle was located shortly after, and the PIT (pursuit in- tervention technique) maneu- ver was utilized to take the vehicle off the roadway on FDC Grove Road. King was quickly apprehended despite his attempt to fight officers and deputies.
Goitia was flown to a local hospital, where he underwent several surgeries and suffered multiple heart attacks result- ing from complications of the stabbing.
He was pronounced dead just after 1 p.m. on Sunday.
"We mourn with the vic-
CHRISTOPHER KING
tim's family for this senseless murder," Chief Jim Elensky said.
"We will work to provide the strongest case possible in col- laboration with the State At- torney's Office to prosecute this killer to the fullest extent of the law."
The aggravated battery charge against King has been upgraded to first-degree mur- der. King is also charged with armed robbery, grand theft auto, carrying a concealed weapon, driving without a valid license, resisting arrest with and without violence, wearing a mask in the com- mission of a felony, and bat- tery on a law enforcement officer.
King remains in the Polk County Jail.
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