PALMETTO, Fla. — A man was arrested in Palmetto after he allegedly drove under the influence and crashed into another car, causing an expecting mother to lose her unborn child.
On Sunday, April 6, around 4:36 a.m., Palmetto Police said officers responded to a crash on the DeSoto Bridge. Laurentino Serrano-Juarez, 31, was driving a GMC SUV when he struck a car head-on. The car was driven by a 28-year-old pregnant woman from St. Pete.
Police said both drivers were taken to the hospital. Serrano-Juarez was treated and released into police custody.
The woman suffered critical injuries and remains in the hospital. Her unborn child did not survive.
Police arrested and charged Serrano-Juarez with DUI manslaughter, DUI with serious bodily injury to another, DUI property damage, and driving with no valid driver's license.
Serrano-Juarez was taken to Manatee County Jail.
Pasco County woman trying to rebuild mobile home after hurricanes
"I cried, of course, because I've worked very hard getting it nice, which has been difficult for me since I lost my husband and being alone,” Kelly Welty said.
Welty's mobile home lost its roof during Hurricane Milton. She said it was the only one in the Buena Vista community to get totaled by a tornado.