Alcohol bottles found in vehicle that fatally struck pedestrian, troopers say

Driver faces DUI manslaughter charge

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A woman who fatally struck a pedestrian Thursday on Orange Blossom Trail was driving a vehicle that smelled of marijuana and had empty alcohol bottles in it, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Lazeya Rivera's bond was set at $10,400 during a court appearance Friday morning, which she posted hours later.

She walked out of the Orange County Jail at 9 p.m. on Friday with ehr face hidden in a sweatshirt, and she refused to answer News 6's questions.

Troopers said Rivera, 22, initially stopped when she encountered pedestrian Nostaky Exantus on Orange Blossom Trail around 3 a.m., allowing him to cross, but then made an illegal U-turn over a median and struck the 39-year-old man.

Rivera's Dodge Durango hit a building after striking Exantus, according to an arrest report. She was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Moments after that crash, authorities said a separate vehicle hit three good Samaritans who tried to help Exantus, killing 32-year-old Damion Bradford and injuring the two others. Troopers are still looking for the driver of the Lexus that was involved in that crash.

Rivera was released from ORMC before 9 a.m. Thursday. Troopers said when they met with her then, her eyes were bloodshot and glassy, her speech was mildly slurred and she smelled of alcohol. Empty alcohol bottles were found in the Durango, which also smelled of marijuana, the report said.

She was arrested on charges of third-degree murder, DUI manslaughter, driving with a suspended license and DUI with property damage or personal injury.

Anyone with information about the driver of the Lexus is asked to call FHP at 407-737-2213.


About the Author

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

Recommended Videos