Ice cream man arrested in fatal hit-and-run crash, deputies say
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
HOMELAND, Fla. - An ice cream man who deputies say did not have a driver’s license because he was in the country illegally is accused of causing a multi-vehicle crash that killed a 21-year-old man in Polk County and leaving the scene.
Deputies arrested Edy Juarez Granados, 46, on Thursday, a day after a fatal hit-and-run crash on US 17 near County Road 640 in Homeland, which is south of Bartow.
According to investigators, dash camera video from a commercial dump truck, as well as other evidence and witness statements, showed that Juarez Granados lost control of his Nissan truck during a light rain while driving northbound on US 17, south of the intersection with County Road 640. His vehicle is seen on the video crossing over the median while rotating counterclockwise and entering the southbound lane. Deputies say his truck struck an Infiniti, driven by Tyler Baysden, 21, causing it to lose control and cross over into the northbound lane.
Deputies say the Infiniti then struck two other vehicles, a 2021 Jeep Compass and a dump truck, and Juarez Granados drove back into the northbound lanes and left the area.
Baysden was killed in the crash and his passenger suffered a broken leg and abrasions and was taken to a local hospital.
According to Sheriff Judd, the occupants of the Compass and the dump truck vehicles suffered very minor injuries.
After leaving the scene, Judd said Juarez Granados headed to Plant City, where the ice cream business is located. According to Judd, Juarez Granados told his boss that he damaged the truck, but didn’t know how it happened.
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Detectives used the dash cam video to track the ice cream truck to a Plant City business and eventually to Juarez Granados. They said Juarez Granados admitted to detectives that he was involved in the crash and then refused to answer further questions.
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
"This suspect had no valid license and was in the country illegally--he should not have been driving in Florida. Because he was, an innocent person is dead," stated Sheriff Judd.
Juarez Granados is charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, three counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving injury, three counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage and driving with no valid license. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was notified and an ICE hold has been placed on Juarez Granados.
"Edy, we don’t serve any ice cream in the jail," Judd said. "There won’t be any crunchy cones. You won’t get any chocolate or strawberry or vanilla or raspberry. There will just be a jail cell with food."
The investigation is ongoing and Judd says Granados may face additional charges.