Despite his mom’s promise to seek mental health care if he is released, a judge reserved ruling on a motion to reinstate bond for an Immokalee driver accused in the crash that killed his brother.
Ascencion Rodriguez, 19, faces vehicular homicide and reckless driving charges stemming from a June 12, 2025, deadly head-on crash. Court filings have identified his brother as Antonio Cruz, 25.
Their mother, Melissa Cadilla, on June 29 in open court pleaded to Collier Circuit Judge Joseph Foster, asking for the reinstatement of Rodriguez’s bond after his arrest for kicking and damaging a Collier County sheriff’s cruiser while out on pretrial release for charges related to the deadly crash.
Cadilla in court said that if Foster reinstated Rodriguez’s bond he will stay with her. She added she will ensure he gets mental health care, which he previously went without because of financial roadblocks, she said.
The grieving mother said Rodriguez was not “stable” the day of the crash, causing him to drive erratically.
As defense attorney Landon Miller continued presenting the defense’s argument, he said the circumstances that led Rodriguez to kick the patrol cruiser is an unrelated offense and asked that Foster reinstate Rodriguez’s bond.
Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano said Rodriguez endangered several people the day he drove recklessly and killed Cruz.
“He’s a danger when he’s out on the road,” Marzano said.
Marzano said a pretrial release condition was to not break any laws while awaiting trial, which he did by kicking the patrol car.
Foster reserved ruling on the motion to reinstate Rodriguez’s bond.
Following his first appearance on Aug. 20, 2025, Rodriguez faced a $60,000 bond for the crash that caused Cruz’s death.
While authorities picked Rodriguez up under the Baker Act after he threatened self-harm following the fatal crash arrest, Rodriguez damaged the patrol cruiser, court documents say.
While handcuffed, Rodriguez began to kick the passenger side door, damaging the plastic covering over a speaker. The report indicates he kicked the speaker six times.
Rodriguez has remained in custody since April 10.
What led to the vehicular homicide arrest?
Florida Highway Patrol troopers arrested Rodriguez on Aug. 20, 2025, more than two months after a June 12, 2025, crash near the intersection of Corkscrew Road and Whidden Loop, in Collier County.
Cruz died at a hospital.
The day of the crash, Rodriguez was driving a Ford Fusion on Corkscrew Road over 90 mph, passing cars on the two-lane road. A dump truck was traveling east when the Ford crossed over the dashed line and entered the path of the truck, troopers said.
The vehicle and truck swerved into the grass and struck a barbed wire fence, the affidavit says.
The truck driver said the crash was not a matter of poor visibility, and told troopers with certainty that Rodriguez could see his truck while “he was passing as many as he could,” the affidavit says.
Rodriguez is next due in court Sept. 22 for a pretrial conference.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@usatodayco.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Bluesky @tomasfrodriguez.
You can reach Naples Daily News reporter Alexa Ryan at Alexa.Ryan@naplesnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Mom asks judge for son’s release until trial in brother’s death
Reporting by Tomas Rodriguez and Alexa Ryan, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tomas Rodriguez and Alexa Ryan, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
