Miami

Man, 87, Charged With DUI Manslaughter in Fatal Miami-Dade Crash

An 87-year-old South Florida man is facing vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter charges in a March crash that killed a pedestrian.

Martin Hernandez is also facing charges of reckless driving with damage to property or person following his arrest Sunday night in the March 26 crash that killed 42-year-old Zachery Carl Baldwin, Miami-Dade Police said.

According to an arrest warrant, Hernandez was behind the wheel of a 2003 Toyota Corolla when he caused the fatal crash in the 3000 block of Northwest 54th Street. Hernandez veered out of his lane and sideswiped another car, which hit two pedestrians, including Baldwin, the warrant said.

Baldwin was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other pedestrian suffered minor injuries.

Hernandez was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition but not before officers at the scene noticed a strong smell of alcohol on his breath, the warrant said.

At Jackson, Hernandez still had the smell of alcohol on his breath, with glossy, watery and bloodshot eyes, slurred, mumbled and thick tongued speech and difficulty focusing his attention, the warrant said.

Hernandez told officers he had 3-4 beers at a restaurant before the crash, the warrant said. His blood alcohol level was .156 and .134 in two tests taken after the crash, the warrant said.

Hernandez was booked into the Miami-Dade jail where he was being held on $42,000 bond Monday, records showed. Attorney information wasn't immediately available.

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