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Man Arrested for Involvement in Fatal 2022 Multi-Vehicle Crash on Florida’s Turnpike

PLANTATION — A 42-year-old man from Margate, Lucas Cerotti, was arrested over the weekend for his alleged involvement in a multi-vehicle crash that occurred on Florida’s Turnpike in 2022. The accident resulted in the tragic death of a young tow truck driver.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) announced on Saturday morning that Cerotti has been charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, DUI property damage, and reckless driving resulting in personal injury and/or property damage.

The incident took place on October 8, 2022, at approximately 5:04 a.m. An FHP trooper was traveling southbound on Florida’s Turnpike just south of Sunrise Boulevard, within the city limits of Plantation, when he witnessed a four-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes. The trooper immediately responded to the scene and discovered that the collision involved three pedestrians, resulting in one fatality. Another trooper was called to the scene to provide assistance.

According to the initial police investigation, three of the four vehicles involved in the crash were parked on the outside paved shoulder of the northbound lanes. A Toyota Sequoia was parked ahead of a Chevrolet Colorado, which was parked ahead of a Ford F-450 tow truck. The Toyota had a flat tire, and its driver sought help from the Chevrolet driver while waiting for the tow truck to arrive.

At the time of the crash, the tow truck’s amber lights were flashing, and the tow truck driver, identified as 22-year-old Darryl Larueso Brooks, was standing in front of his vehicle.

Meanwhile, a Ford F-250 was traveling northbound on the turnpike’s outside lane. The driver, Lucas Cerotti, failed to maintain a single lane and veered onto the shoulder, crashing into the rear end of the tow truck. The impact caused the tow truck to strike Brooks before continuing to push forward and collide with the other two parked vehicles.

Brooks was transported to Broward Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead later that morning.

Based on the evidence at the scene, the trooper determined that Cerotti was the driver at fault. Cerotti was still inside his truck when law enforcement arrived. The driver’s seat compartment was swabbed for blood, which was collected as evidence for further testing and confirmation.

On October 28, the FHP received the final toxicology report from the crash. The report indicated that Cerotti’s blood tested positive for alcohol and showed signs of impairment, with levels above the legal limit of 0.08. It is worth noting that the blood sample was taken approximately five-and-a-half hours after the crash occurred.

A capias warrant was issued on December 20, 2023, leading to Cerotti’s arrest on Friday. He was transported and booked in the Broward County Jail.