TAMPA (WFLA) — An arrest has been made in connection to a fatal crash that killed two people in Largo last month.
Largo police said they arrested Ilia Andoni, 33, and charged him with two counts of vehicular homicide related to the crash at the intersection of East Bay Drive and Starkey Road.
According to police, around 5:16 a.m. on Jan. 28, Andoni was driving 92 mph in a 2016 Silver Mercedes Benz when he ran a red light and collided with a 2014 Black Honda Civic.
The crash killed 22-year-old Ariadna Sanchez Monrroy and 26-year-old Paulino Trejo-Mendoza.
“When I got the news, I just broke down in tears,” said Bryan Najera.
Najera said he and Trejo-Mendoza have been best friends for more than 10 years.
“He was a great guy,” Najera said. “Respectful, honorable, everything.”
Andoni is being held on a $100,000 bond, along with GPS tracking, no alcohol, bars or clubs, and alcohol and drug screening.
Though he attempted to speak about the crash at his first appearance hearing in Pinellas County Court on Tuesday, the judge shut him down.
“It made me feel happy and sad at the same time,” said Eileen Leonardo. “They had so much more to live for.”
Eileen Leonardo said she was a friend of Monrroy.
“I’m mad,” said Eileen. “I won’t have that peace until I know that he’s put away for life.”
In court, Andoni said he had a lawyer but she was not present, so the judge said he will appear in court again in two days if he has not bonded out by then so they can assign him an attorney.
Trejo-Mendoza’s family told 8 On Your Side some of them are going to Mexico on Tuesday to help bury him.
The investigation is still ongoing, according to authorities.
