A driver who police said was responsible for the horrific crash on the MacArthur Causeway last week that sent a young woman to the hospital fighting for her life and injured another is facing a new charge.
Nicholas Robinson, 24, was originally charged with DUI and reckless driving both resulting in serious bodily injury after he crashed into 18-year-old Gabriela Rios Flores’ car in the early hours of Friday morning, according to the arrest report.
On Tuesday, Miami Beach police said Flores had died Monday night from injuries sustained in the crash and charges against Robinson had been upgraded to include vehicular homicide.
During a hearing Tuesday morning, a judge set bond at $100,000 for the new charge and ordered a level 1 house arrest if he’s released.
Robinson’s total bond now set at $200,000.
According to arrest documents, Robinson was under the influence and speeding when the silver Polestar Model 2 he was driving slammed into Flores’ Jeep Wrangler, which was disabled on the left side of westbound lanes of the MacArthur Causeway, just west of Terminal Isle.
The crash
Moments before the crash, a Miami Beach Police K-9 officer helped push Flores’ Jeep out of the roadway and onto the shoulder to get out of the way of traffic. Once the officer made a U-turn on Bridge Road to head east, he saw a silver sedan—later revealed to be Robinson’s Polestar—speeding west at an estimated 100 mph in a 40 mph zone, the arrest documents said. At that time, the officer saw Robinson lose control of his car and begin to swerve.
Miami-Dade Corrections
Robinson’s Polestar then struck a cement road divider and continued driving forward until it struck the back of Flores’ Jeep. This caused her car to overturn another road divider and eject her from the vehicle. Another person in the Jeep was also injured in the crash.
A witness said both Flores and the other person injured were students at Florida International University.
A Miami Beach Police sergeant, who was driving west on the causeway, raced to the crash scene and conducted a traffic stop and ordered Robinson to step out of the car.
As he was being detained, Robinson spontaneously asked the sergeant “Why are you stopping me, it’s my birthday and did you get the other car,” appearing to be completely unaware that he had just caused a serious car crash, the arrest documents said.
When a Miami Beach Police detective arrived at the crash site, he noted that exhibited “possible signs of impairment,” according to the arrest report. Robinson reportedly told the detective that he was out celebrating his birthday at a lounge. According to the arrest documents, Robinson had slurred speech and an odor of an alcoholic beverage, prompting the detective to ask him to take a blood test; however, Robinson refused.
Due to the circumstances surrounding the crash, detectives requested Miami Beach Fire Rescue to draw Robinson’s blood while on the scene once a search warrant was obtained. He was then taken to the Miami Beach Police Station for processing.
