HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Nineteen-year-old Gerson Alette Jr. once again faced a judge Monday after his arrest in connection with a deadly crash in Hollywood.
Alette, of North Miami Beach, is accused of being the driver behind the wheel of a white car seen weaving in and out of traffic at excessive speeds before it ended up on its side after slamming into another vehicle.
It happened on May 11 in the area of Sheridan Street and 40th Avenue.
That other car burst into flames, killing the innocent driver who was just trying to make a turn.
The victim was identified as Douglas Freeman, a 49-year-old father of seven, a Navy veteran and a beloved barber.
“He had just took his girlfriend out for Mother’s Day, dropped her off and was headed home,” said Sharon Grant, Freeman’s sister.
Now more than a month later, detectives believe they’ve built a solid case against Alette.
In court Monday, prosecutors pointed to the car’s black box data that showed Alette’s car moving at 97 miles per hour two seconds before the impact, which is more than twice the posted speed limit.
“The defendant was running late for work at the Longhorn Steakhouse on Sheridan Street,” said prosecutor Ross Weiner. “He was driving coming off of I-95 onto Sheridan Street.”
A judge allowed Alette bond but with a strict no-driving restriction.