TAMPA, Fla. — A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office detention deputy turned himself in Monday on charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving.
Investigators say Daniel Hernandez was off-duty and driving a personal car when he was involved in a crash just before 8 p.m. on Aug. 20, 2021. It happened on North Dale Mabry Highway.
He suffered minor injuries, but the other driver died at the hospital days later.
A Florida Highway Patrol investigation determined Hernandez was speeding.
"As a Sheriff's Office, we are constantly reminding the public that speeding can have severe, long-lasting consequences for both the driver and others involved," Sheriff Chad Chronister wrote in a statement. "The actions of Daniel Hernandez on the night of the crash are inexcusable and not a reflection of the many men and women who work to take aggressive drivers off of our roadways every day."
Chronister said, based on the severity of the charges, Hernandez was removed from his position and put on unpaid administrative leave until an internal investigation concludes.
Hernandez is an Air Force veteran. He has worked as a detention deputy at the Orient Road Jail since April 2016. The sheriff's office confirmed he did not drive a county vehicle in that position.