FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A South Florida man was arrested Monday on multiple charges in connection with a fatal crash that occurred in November 2019.
Christopher Michael Eastes, now 40, was arrested on charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, DUI causing serious bodily injury, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, DUI with damage to property or a person and reckless driving causing damage to property or a person.
Recommended Videos
He is currently being held without bond and has been ordered to surrender his passport.
According to his arrest report, Eastes was driving a 2016 Jeep around 4:20 a.m. Nov. 22, 2019, in the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Fort Lauderdale.
Police said he exited the interstate at Davie Boulevard while traveling around 89 mph.
According to his arrest report, Eastes ran a red light at the intersection of the exit ramp and Davie Boulevard and struck a 1997 Honda that was being driven by 22-year-old Daniel Torres-Loughan.
The force of the crash caused the Jeep to push the Honda into the path of another Jeep that was heading east on Davie Boulevard.
Eastes’ Jeep ultimately ended on top of the Honda, authorities said.
Police said Torres-Loughan was ejected from his car and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the second Jeep, Danny Ramos, now 55, was taken to Broward Health Medical Center with serious injuries, including a broken arm.
Police said Eastes was hospitalized with minor injuries.
According to his arrest report, a responding officer smelled alcohol on Eastes’ breath and a blood sample taken three hours later showed that Eastes had a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 percent.
“There was also an unconfirmed positive result for cocaine metabolite, benzodiazepines and zolpidem” the arrest report stated.
Eastes is being held at the Broward County Main Jail.
It’s unclear what exactly caused the delay in his arrest.