Palm Bay woman admits to drinking tequila, smoking weed before fatal hit and run in Vero Beach

On Sunday, December 10 at approximately 2:19 a.m., officers with the Vero Beach Police Department responded to the area of Indian River Boulevard and the base of the Merrill Barber Bridge in reference to a person being struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival, members of the Vero Beach Police Department pronounced the victim deceased.

Killed in the crash on Indian River Boulevard at the Merrill P. Barber Bridge was 39-year-old Jhovany Edgardo Diaz Rojas, records show. ~ TC Palm

Vero News reported that police responders found the hit and run victim lying in a grass median. A witness who was driving near the intersection told officers he heard a loud bang and then saw a dark-colored car accelerate on northbound Indian River Boulevard. With the assistance of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, a black 2021 Toyota Camry with heavy front-end damage was located and stopped in the 4700 block of Indian River Boulevard shortly after.

The driver of the vehicle involved was later identified as 24-year-old Shanice Person of Palm Bay.  Shanice Person was subsequently arrested and charged as follows:

• Florida State Statue 316.027 (2)(c), Leaving the Scene of a Crash, Involving Death or Personal Injury,

• Florida State Statue 322.34 (6)(b), Driving While License Revoked, Causing Death or Serious Bodily Injury,

According to TC Palm, Person told police that she and two passengers in her vehicle had been partying and drinking tequila at Filthy’s Fine Cocktails & Beer 16th Street in Vero Beach prior to her car crash.

“I was (expletive) up, I ain’t gon (sic) lie, smoking weed at Filthy’s,” Person is quoted as saying. She said the last alcoholic beverage she had was at about 1 a.m. She initially denied driving, saying she doesn’t drive because she is a habitual traffic offender and her license is suspended. ~ TC Palm

Person is currently being held at the Indian River County Jail with a bond set at $70,000.  Vero Beach Police Traffic Homicide Investigators are still actively working this case with the potential for additional charges in the near future.

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(Source: Vero Beach Police Department)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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