A Vero Beach woman was arrested on DUI manslaughter and other charges following a May 16 crash in Okeechobee County that left a 34-year-old woman dead, according to an arrest report.
Blanca Yorleni Ruiz Dominguez, 25, was jailed in St. Lucie County after the crash on private property in the 21000 block of Northwest 240th Street, northwest of the Okeechobee city limits, the report shows.
Seidy Dariela Galiano Salinos, 34, whose city of residence was not listed, died after being flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. Galiano Salinos reportedly had been ejected from a utility terrain vehicle that Florida Highway Patrol troopers determined had been driven by Ruiz Dominguez.
A witness reported that he and a group, including Ruiz Dominguez, were at his home in Fort Pierce and started drinking about 10 a.m.
They later went to the area of the 21000 block of Northwest 240th Street “where alcohol consumption continued,” the report shows.
The witness said he saw Ruiz Dominguez in the driver’s seat of the utility terrain vehicle with Galiano Salinos in the front right seat. In the back seat were two others.
He said Ruiz Dominguez asked him to record a video, and he did. The vehicle accelerated quickly, with Ruiz Dominguez turning left. The vehicle overturned and Galiano Salinos was thrown out.
Ruiz Dominguez was taken to HCA Florida Raulerson Hospital in Okeechobee before being taken to Lawnwood in Fort Pierce.
At Raulerson, her blood alcohol content was determined to be 0.128 – greater than the 0.08 legal limit, according to statements in the report.
Ruiz Dominguez told investigators she drank a shot of whiskey and three beers about an hour before the crash.
She said she sped up and tried to turn left “like a donut,” though lost control. She said three others were on the utility terrain vehicle.
In addition to the DUI manslaughter charge, Ruiz Dominguez was jailed on three counts of DUI with property damage or injury to another.
A prosecutor May 19 said the case will be handled in Okeechobee County, despite Ruiz Dominguez being taken to the St. Lucie County Jail.
According to the affidavit, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent told investigators Ruiz Dominguez has an “active detainer.”
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Woman jailed after deadly utility terrain vehicle crash in Florida
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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