LARGO, Fla. – University of Miami linebacker Adarius Hayes was taken into custody on Friday in relation to a tragic accident in May, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of two children and a woman, as reported by News 6 partner WPLG.
Investigators said Hayes, 20, turned himself in to the Largo Police Department on Friday and was transported to the Pinellas County Jail.
Records from the jail indicate that Hayes is charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter and one count of reckless driving causing serious injury. Information regarding his bond was not immediately available.
Police said the crash occurred May 10 around 1:43 p.m. at the intersection of Orange View Drive and Ridge Road.
Authorities revealed that Hayes was driving a Dodge Durango at a high speed and making “aggressive maneuvers” through traffic shortly before crashing into a 2017 Kia Soul.
According to the police, two children in the Kia, 10-year-old Jabari Elijah Solomon and 4-year-old Charlie Herbert Solomon Riveria, were thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.
The driver of the Kia, 78-year-old Gail Price, was critically injured and passed away the following day, investigators reported. They noted that 58-year-old Herbert Riveria, who was the front-seat passenger, survived the crash with serious injuries.
The Largo Police Traffic Homicide Unit investigated the crash, reviewing video surveillance and eyewitness accounts.
Investigators stated that Hayes executed several dangerous lane changes, repeatedly crossing three lanes without using his turn signal. His vehicle was recorded traveling at nearly 71 mph mere seconds before the collision, then accelerated to nearly 79 mph in a 40-mph zone.
“Hayes’ egregious speed, aggressive and reckless lane changes, and complete disregard for surrounding traffic conditions demonstrated a willful and deliberate disregard for the safety of others, constituting reckless driving. These actions directly led to the tragic deaths of the three victims,” police wrote in a news released obtained in a news release.
Hayes, a sophomore at the University of Miami, was a highly-touted linebacker coming out of Largo High School. ESPN ranked him the nation’s 78th-best overall player and the sixth-best linebacker in the 2024 recruiting class.
Authorities confirmed that the investigation into the case is “active and ongoing.”
Miami Athletics released this statement to WPLG on Friday regarding Hayes’ arrest:
“Following the charges issued today by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, student-athlete Adarius Hayes has been indefinitely suspended from all athletic related activities per athletic department policy.”
[SEE MORE FLORIDA NEWS: Judge denies bond for man accused in 2023 Orlando hit-and-run that killed 5-year-old girl]
Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
