Judge to Drunk Driver: 'You Made Sure This Happened'
When Jennifer Carvajal picked up the keys to a silver Hyundai on a Florida night in April 2021, no one imagined it would end in a fatal crash, a courtroom breakdown, and a 67-year prison sentence. But the road she traveled that night — at over 100 mph — was paved by a history of trauma, poor choices, and one hauntingly familiar mistake.
A Night of Drinking and a Deadly Decision
On April 24, 2021, Carvajal joined her cousin Pedro Carvajal, his girlfriend Lexcia Gonzalez, and another relative for a night out after a family gathering in Plant City, Florida. They picked up a bottle of Hennessy at a local liquor store and sipped it mixed with Polar Pops while hanging out at a Waffle House and making pit stops at Circle K stores.
Sometime after midnight, Carvajal asked Gonzalez if she could drive. Despite initial hesitation, Gonzalez gave her the keys. What followed was a ride that veered from thrill-seeking to tragic.
As they approached Interstate 4, Carvajal floored the gas pedal. Gonzalez testified that she watched her record a SnapChat video showing the speedometer topping 100 mph. Florida Highway Patrol clocked her going 111 mph just before the crash.
The Crash and Its Aftermath
With blue lights flashing in the rearview mirror, Carvajal panicked. She veered off the road, sending the vehicle airborne. It crashed into a palm tree, a concrete pole, and several parked vehicles before coming to rest upside down at a car dealership.
Pedro was crushed beneath the wreckage, bleeding and unresponsive. Gonzalez awoke on the pavement with both her legs broken. Grady Ramirez, another passenger, suffered serious injuries.
Carvajal crawled from the wreckage and reportedly begged Gonzalez to say she had been driving. She then wandered off, telling bystanders, "I have a curfew. I'm not even supposed to be driving," according to testimony from a road ranger reported by the Tampa Bay Times.
A Painful Pattern Repeats
This wasn't Carvajal's first DUI crash — or her first fatal one.
In 2014, at just 16 years old, she ran a red light while drunk and killed a 52-year-old man delivering newspapers. She served four years in prison for that crash and was still on probation when the 2021 incident occurred.
Despite that history, Carvajal made the same mistake again, this time claiming the life of a family member. Prosecutors said her blood alcohol level ranged between 0.10 and 0.14, well above Florida's legal limit of 0.08.
Trauma and Accountability Collide in Court
During her sentencing hearing in May 2025, Carvajal wept as she addressed the court. "No matter how many sorrys I say to each of you, or even him, I could never forgive myself," she said, according to PEOPLE.
Her defense attorneys painted a picture of a woman scarred by childhood sexual abuse, untreated mental health issues, and a cycle of self-harm and addiction that began when she was just 11 years old. A social worker testified that Carvajal had been diagnosed with PTSD and depression but never received treatment.
Yet the judge, G. Gregory Green, made it clear that past trauma did not absolve her of responsibility. "It's almost as if instead of taking every step to avoid putting yourself in that situation again, you took affirmative steps to ensure that it happened," he said in court, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
A Family Mourns — and a Sentence Sends a Message
Pedro's family filled the courtroom, grieving the man they described as a loyal friend and loving father. His mother, Jazmin Lopez Dominguez, wrote, "The decision Jennifer made in that moment caused a lot of pain and suffering in our lives — and Julian who is growing up without knowing his father," according to PEOPLE.
Carvajal pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. Prosecutors originally sought a life sentence, but the judge handed down 67 years — double what the state had proposed. It ensures she will likely spend the rest of her life behind bars.
The Bigger Picture
The case of Jennifer Carvajal is more than just another DUI tragedy. It's a disturbing reminder of what can happen when cycles of trauma go untreated and when accountability falls short the first time.
It's also a heartbreaking example of how one decision—whether to take the wheel or hand over the keys—can change everything.
References: She Killed a Man While Driving Drunk — Then Did It Again. Hear the Judge's Scathing Words as He Sentenced Her | Plant City Woman Gets 67 Years for 2nd Fatal Drunk Driving Crash | Woman Pleads Guilty in Deadly DUI Crash That Killed Cousin in Hillsborough County
