Woman arrested in fatal road rage crash in Sanford, police say

Chriskesha Pierce, 21, had prior relations with victim, Darrius Grooms, 26

SANFORD, Fla. – A woman was arrested after an apparent road rage crash that left a man dead Wednesday morning, police said.

The Sanford Police Department said it received a 911 call at 9:56 a.m. reporting a crash near Celery and Mellonville avenues.

Witnesses said they observed an act of road rage between a black Volkswagen Jetta and a green Chevrolet Cavalier. Police did not describe the act of road rage.

The Jetta, which was driven by 26-year-old Darrius Grooms, crashed into a tree, police said. Grooms was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Officials said that on Wednesday evening they arrested Chriskesha Pierce, 21, and charged her with homicide negligence in the death of Grooms.

News 6 found out the two knew each other well. According to Seminole County court records, they had been in a tumultuous relationship for 2 1/2 years.

Those records show Grooms was arrested earlier this month after Pierce claimed Grooms strangled her, lifting her off the ground and throwing her into glass.

Sanford police have not said if that was a motive for Wednesday's crash.

News 6 also found out Pierce has a lengthy criminal history that includes kidnapping, burglary and grand theft. This month, she was found not mentally competent to stand trial on those charges.

Her bail on the new charges brought Wednesday is set at $15,000, and she's expected to appear before a judge on Thursday afternoon.

Grooms' grandfather, Elder Mathews described the victim as a "good kid," and said learning the news of his grandson's death was very hard to take for the whole family.

"Leave it to the justice system," Mathews said of the suspect. "If there's something that should be taken care of, let them handle it."


About the Authors

Dawn Jorgenson, Graham Media Group Branded Content Managing Editor, began working with the group in April 2013. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in electronic media.

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

Recommended Videos