Man Charged with DUI Manslaughter in Gibsonton Crash

Pablo Alfredo Mendez-Leyva, 21, of Plant City faces DUI manslaughter charges after his Ford pickup struck a Cadillac Escalade at the intersection of Gibsonton Drive and U.S. 41 early Saturday morning.

The crash occurred around 3:45 a.m. on October 12. Mendez-Leyva was driving west on Gibsonton Drive when he ran a red light and collided with a northbound Escalade driven by Wysler Larame, 54, of Gibsonton. Larame was taken to BayCare St. Joseph's South Hospital, where he died from his injuries.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper detected alcohol on Mendez-Leyva's breath at the scene. Mendez-Leyva said he had consumed two beers a few hours before the crash and performed poorly on field sobriety exercises. He submitted to a blood draw at Tampa General Hospital.

Mendez-Leyva was initially charged with DUI with serious bodily injury and driving without a valid license. After Larame's death, troopers amended the charges to DUI manslaughter and driving without a valid license resulting in death. He was booked into Falkenburg Road Jail on Sunday and held without bond.