A Florida man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for driving drunk at high speed and causing a fatal crash that killed a mother of two. Cesar Navarrete pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and other charges related to the November 2024 incident in Bradenton. The crash occurred just a block from the victim's home.
Cesar Navarrete, 27, slammed his vehicle into a Chevy Equinox on November 2, 2024, in Bradenton, Florida. The Equinox carried Sara-Danielle Holmes, 37, and her boyfriend Sergio Larcher de Brito. According to the Bradenton Police Department, Navarrete was speeding at 115 miles per hour, ran a red light, and had a blood alcohol content of 0.165. The impact split the Equinox in half, and Holmes died from her injuries at a hospital, while the others survived with injuries. Navarrete showed signs of impairment at the scene and was driving on a suspended license after a prior DUI conviction. Holmes had just finished her work shift and was heading home, only a block away, when the crash happened. Her mother told local ABC affiliate WFTS, 'Get behind a 2,000-pound missile, a weapon, drive through traffic like that and take into consideration nobody around you.' On Thursday, Navarrete pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, driving under the influence, and driving with a suspended license causing serious bodily injury or death. A judge sentenced him to 25 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, permanently revoked his driver's license, and ordered more than $40,000 in fines and restitution. A GoFundMe for Holmes' two young daughters remains active.