Fugitive ex-deputy vanishes before trial in deadly sports car crash

An arrest warrant has been issued for a former deputy in Polk County, Florida, who did not show up for his April trial after facing charges of two counts of manslaughter in 2022. 

In the early hours of April 12, 2022, Joshua Roelofs is accused of causing the deaths of Kris Koroly, 44, and Ricky Gongora, 44, in a high-speed DUI accident on the Courtney Campbell Causeway in the Tampa, Florida, region.

A third person was left permanently disabled after the wreck.

Joshua Roelofs mughsot

Joshua Roelofs after his 2022 arrest (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)

Moments before the 2022 collision, dashcam footage from inside the Nissan GT-R sports car driven by Roelofs allegedly recorded him driving erratically and weaving between lanes before crashing into an SUV that transported Koroly, Gongora, and two additional people.

One of the surviving passengers sustained a severe brain injury in the crash and was in a coma for four months. He reportedly “struggles to walk, has seizures, needs constant assistance and has a reduced mental capacity,” the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Roelofs has ties to Ohio and Michigan. 

Polk County Sheriff's Office car

Joshua Roelofs is a former Polk County Sheriff’s deputy. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

Fox News Digital reached out to his attorneys, Deborah Barra and Glen Lansky, who withdrew as his counsel when he failed to appear in court. 

The U.S. Marshals Service did not return a comment request. 

You May Also Like

Charles Manson's granddaughter reveals moment she discovered dark family secret: 'It was devastating'

Charles Manson’s Granddaughter Reveals How She Learned Her Family’s Dark Secret: ‘It Was Devastating’

In 2022, Sophia Maddox got the kind of phone call that can…
CDC Issues Safety Alert on Alfalfa Sprouts After 55 Illnesses Nationwide, Including 2 in New York - Internewscast Journal

CDC Issues Safety Alert on Alfalfa Sprouts After 55 Illnesses Nationwide, Including 2 in New York

It may be time to skip alfalfa sprouts for now. The CDC…
Weezer’s The Gold Album Review: Sunny Hooks Strike Gold - Internewscast Journal

Weezer’s The Gold Album Review: Sunny Hooks Strike Gold

At first glance, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Weezer seem like two rock…
Report Warns Cuba’s Collapse Fuels Security Threat Near Florida - Internewscast Journal

Report Warns Cuba’s Collapse Fuels Security Threat Near Florida

A newly released report is raising alarms that Cuba’s expanding ties with…
Christian Zionists Challenge Anti-Israel Narratives in the Biblical Heartland - Internewscast Journal

Christian Zionists Challenge Anti-Israel Narratives in the Biblical Heartland

The Israel Guys, a Christian Zionist organization formerly known as HaYovel, opened…
San Francisco Beach Closed After Diesel Boat Runs Aground - Internewscast Journal

San Francisco Beach Closed After Diesel Boat Runs Aground

North Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore was temporarily closed Saturday after…
NIPSCO Faces Class-Action Lawsuit as NW Indiana Storm Outages Persist - Internewscast Journal

NIPSCO Faces Class-Action Lawsuit as NW Indiana Storm Outages Persist

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. () — Thousands of residents in northwest Indiana spent…
Deadly California High School Football Shooting: Arrest Made - Internewscast Journal

Deadly California High School Football Shooting: Arrest Made

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after a gang-related shooting at a…
Angie Nixon Claims GOP Is Threatening Black Americans’ Lives - Internewscast Journal

Angie Nixon Claims GOP Is Threatening Black Americans’ Lives

The Department of Homeland Security on Friday pushed back against claims from…
5 Americans killed in helicopter crash in Kenya, including Telemundo executive

5 Americans Killed in Kenya Helicopter Crash; Telemundo Exec Among Victims

Five U.S. citizens were killed Wednesday when a helicopter went down in…
Judge Rejects Karmelo Anthony New Trial Bid Over Testimony Dispute - Internewscast Journal

Judge Rejects Karmelo Anthony New Trial Bid Over Testimony Dispute

Judge removed from Karmelo Anthony self-defense case A Texas court removed Judge…
NY Grandma Found Dead Near Vegas Airport After Bitcoin Texts - Internewscast Journal

NY Grandma Found Dead Near Vegas Airport After Bitcoin Texts

A 63-year-old grandmother from New York who disappeared while on a trip…