Fort Lauderdale

Woman Facing Vehicular Homicide Charge in Fatal 2017 Fort Lauderdale Crash

More than a year after a woman was killed in a crash in Fort Lauderdale, the driver who was behind the wheel of the other car involved has been arrested on reckless driving and vehicular homicide charges, police said.

Ashley N. Rivera, 35, was arrested Wednesday in the March 20, 2017 crash that killed 50-year-old Elaine May, Fort Lauderdale Police officials said.

The crash happened around 7:20 p.m. at the intersection of West Commercial Boulevard and Northwest 15th Avenue when Rivera's Infiniti G35 collided with May's Nissan Maxima. May, of Pompano Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rivera, of North Lauderdale, is charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, reckless driving causing property damage and failure to stop at a red signal.

During a court hearing Thursday, a prosecutor said Rivera ran a red light and was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the crash. The prosecutor said there was no indication that alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Rivera was ordered held on more than $105,000 bond. Her attorney, John Fischer, argued for a lower bond, saying it was her first offense and that she poses no flight risk.

Fischer said Rivera was born and raised in South Florida and was in the Air Force for four years.

May was a married mother of two and a long-time employee at AutoNation, the SunSentinel reported.

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