Arrest made in 2022 multi-vehicle crash on Florida's Turnpike that killed tow truck driver
PLANTATION — A man was arrested this weekend for his involvement in a 2022 multi-vehicle crash on Florida's Turnpike that left a young tow truck driver dead.
Florida Highway Patrol announced early Saturday morning that 42-year-old Lucas Cerotti of Margate had been arrested and charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, DUI property damage and reckless driving resulting in personal injury and/or property damage.
Back on Oct. 8, 2022, around 5:04 a.m., an FHP trooper was traveling southbound on Florida's Turnpike just south of Sunrise Boulevard within Plantation city limits when he observed a four-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of the area. He then responded to the scene, where he found that it also involved three pedestrians and resulted in one fatality, which prompted another trooper to respond.
According to police investigations at the time, three vehicles of the four vehicles were stopped upon the outside paved shoulder of the northbound lanes, with a Toyota Sequoia parked ahead of the Chevrolet Colorado, which was parked ahead of a Ford F-450 tow truck. The Toyota was disabled due to a flat tire, and its driver called assistance from the Chevrolet driver as the tow truck responded to the scene, the warrant affidavit stated.
With the tow truck amber lights flashing, the tow truck driver -- who was identified as 22-year-old Darryl Larueso Brooks -- was standing in front of his vehicle at the time of the crash.
Meanwhile, a Ford F-250 was traveling northbound upon the outside lane of the turnpike and approaching the three other vehicles. Its driver -- Cerotti -- failed to maintain a single lane and entered onto the shoulder before crashing into the rear end of the tow truck. The tow truck then struck Brooks before continuing to push forward and colliding with the other two vehicles.
Brooks was then transported to Broward Health Medical Center, where was pronounced dead later that morning.
According to the affidavit, the trooper determined Cerotti to be the driver at fault due to him still sitting inside his truck at the time of law enforcement's response to the scene. The driver seat compartment was swabbed as there was blood left in the seat, which was contained as evidence for further confirmation.
Then on Oct. 28, FHP recevied the final toxicology report from the crash, which showed that Cerotti's blood tested positive for alcohol and showed signs of impairment with levels above the 0.08 legal limt, even though the sample was taken about five-and-a-half hours after the crash occurred, the affidavit stated.
A capias warrant was then issued on Dec. 20, 2023, which then led to Cerotti's arrest on Friday. He was transported and booked in the Broward County Jail.