Motorist Accused Of Plowing Into College Student Arrested

HUDSON, FL — The Florida Highway Patrol has announced the arrest of a 22-year-old Lakeland man in connection with the death of Pasco-Hernando State College student Brooke Ashlee Gonzalez last April. According to the agency, Scott Thomas Yutzy Jr. was charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide earlier this week.

The incident that led to Yutzy’s arrest unfolded around 9 p.m. April 25, 2016, in Hudson. Troopers say Yutzy was traveling west on State Road 52 in the outside lane, east of Chenwood Avenue, in a Ford Escort. At that time, Gonzalez, 19, was walking west on a sidewalk along State Road 52.

Troopers say Yutzy failed to maintain control over his car, went onto the sidewalk and hit Gonzalez, who died at the scene. Yutzy also struck a guardrail before his vehicle stopped in the outside lane of State Road 52, a highway patrol report said.

The highway patrol recently concluded its investigation into the crash and obtained warrants for Yutzy’s arrest, the agency noted in a report. Yutzy was brought into custody on Jan. 23 by Bartow police. His arrest was announced Friday.

Gonzalez, a sophomore, was a standout softball player at the school and was on track to graduate that May with her associate's degree, the school announced following her death. News of the crash rocked the PHSC community so much that a bus was offered to transport students from Pasco County to Gonzalez’s funeral services in Marion County.

Brooke was “an outstanding PHSC honor student and star softball player,” college spokeswoman Courtney Boettcher said following news of Gonzalez's death.

Booking photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol/Photo of Brooke Gonzalez courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College