Suncoast: Man convicted in driving incident leading to the death of a 5-year-old
Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC
Via 12th Judicial
State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Adrian Noel Castillo was convicted after jury trial of Driving While License Cancelled, Suspended Or Revoked and Causing Death. The crime was committed on 02/02/2024 and investigated by Florida Highway Patrol. The trial was held at the Manatee County Courthouse on May 5th and 6th.
The defendant is facing a maximum sentence of 92 months prison.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
Mr. Castillo’s driver’s license had been revoked since 2018 for Driving Under the Influence. Evidence showed that Mr. Castillo disregarded the law and drove frequently. On February 2nd, 2024, Mr. Castillo carelessly drove through a small parking lot at his residence not paying attention to where he was driving. Mr. Castillo nearly struck a child riding a scooter before running over her five-year-old sister, Emily, and killing her instantly. Mr. Castillo never saw Emily, who was wearing a fluorescent green shirt and pink pants. Emily loved school and was a student at Team Success. Her mother testified that Emily loved being at school with her friends and siblings more than being home on the weekends.
The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Bedy commented, “Mr. Castillo has a history of not following the traffic laws in the State of Florida. Had Mr. Castillo abided by the revocation of his license, this tragedy would have never occurred. I thank the jury for their commitment to serve and for bringing justice to the victim, Emily. Through their verdict, the defendant has been held accountable for the devastation he caused the family.”
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Bedy in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.