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Woman pleads guilty in deadly DUI crash that killed cousin in Hillsborough County

By and
Updated  February 24, 2025 12:49pm EST
Hillsborough County
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • Jennifer Carvajal pleaded guilty on Monday to 10 charges, including DUI manslaughter.
    • Prosecutors said she was driving 111 mph on I-4 in Plant City in 2021 just before she crashed, killing her 22-year-old cousin.
    • Carvajal, who previously served time for another deadly DUI crash, rejected a plea deal last week before entering an open plea on Monday.

TAMPA, Fla. - The driver in a 2021 crash that killed her cousin in Hillsborough County faces decades in prison after pleading guilty to 10 criminal charges, including DUI manslaughter, avoiding a trial that was set to start on Monday.

Case against Jennifer Carvajal

The backstory:

In April 2021, a sergeant with the Florida Highway Patrol clocked Jennifer Carvajal at 111 mph on I-4 in Plant City. As the sergeant turned around to pull her over, FHP said her car veered to the right, went airborne and crashed into a car dealership.

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol

Carvajal's 22-year-old cousin was killed and his 22-year-old girlfriend broke both of her legs in the crash, according to authorities.

Carvajal, who was 24 at the time of the crash, was out on probation when the crash happened. She served time in prison for driving drunk, running a red light, and crashing into a Plant City man, killing him, back in 2014.

Pictured: Jennifer Carvajal in court.

Pictured: Jennifer Carvajal in court.

Last week, prosecutors offered Carvajal a plea deal including a 50-year prison sentence. She countered with 25 years, which the state rejected.

On Monday, however, Carvajal entered an open plea rather than face a jury trial. She pleaded guilty to the following charges:

  • DUI manslaughter
  • Vehicular homicide
  • DUI with serious bodily injury (three counts)
  • Reckless driving with serious bodily injury
  • Driving with license suspended or revoked
  • DUI, 2nd conviction
  • DUI with property damage or personal injury (two counts)

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What's next:

Carvajal faces anywhere from 31 years to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 30.

The Source: Information for this story came from Hillsborough County court records and previous FOX 13 News reports.

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