A woman accused of driving the wrong way on the Florida Turnpike and causing a crash that killed a 23‑year‑old paramedic pleaded guilty Thursday, a decision that the victim’s family says brought unexpected relief.
Sunshine Perez entered guilty pleas to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the death of Zeke Urrutia, who was killed in January 2025 when Perez drove several miles in the wrong direction before crashing into his car.
Urrutia was a lively young paramedic who hoped to become a firefighter. His parents, Frank and Tiffany Urrutia, said they were stunned to hear Perez admit guilt during Thursday’s court hearing.
“We are constantly in survival mode just trying to figure out a way to continue moving forward as he would want us to,” Frank Urrutia said.
The family has traveled past the crash site each time they’ve attended court proceedings. They said the guilty plea spares them from reliving the trauma through a lengthy trial.
“This allows us to not continue going to court and having to deal with all of the emotions of reliving the moment and the tragedy that occurred,” Frank Urrutia said.
Family now focusing on son’s legacy
The Urrutia family said they now want to focus on preserving their son’s legacy. They plan to continue funding a scholarship in his name and hope to raise awareness to prevent similar wrong‑way crashes.
The Florida Department of Transportation has expanded its wrong‑way vehicle detection systems along the Turnpike and other high‑risk roadways, reporting that more than 80% of wrong‑way drivers are turned around by signage and alerts before reaching oncoming traffic.
“It’s not going to heal the pain. Our lives are destroyed, but at least this part of the process will be over,” said Zeke’s mother, Tiffany Urrutia.
Perez is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on July 24. She faces up to 34 years in prison.
