News and Investigations

On February 10, 2020, PCSO Traffic deputies obtained warrants for and arrested 18-year-old Alexis (male) Madrigal of Lakeland and 17-year-old Alex Quiroz of Plant City, charging each with 4 counts Reckless Driving with Serious Bodily Injury (F-3) after investigation revealed they were racing one another and caused a crash that injured four teen-aged passengers, on December 25, 2019, at Lunn and Cherry Road in Lakeland.

According to their affidavits, around 7:25 p.m., Madrigal was driving a 2018 Dodge Journey with five passengers in his car under the age of 18 years old, while Quiroz was driving a 2013 Dodge Charger with two passengers in it under the age of 18 years old. Both vehicles pulled out of Madigral's neighborhood and headed west on Cherry Lane when they began racing each other.

The speed limit on Cherry Lane is 35 MPH, and it is a two-lane road. The vehicles were side-by-side. As the racing vehicles approached the stop sign at the intersection with Lunn Road, neither was able to stop due to their excessive speeds. Madrigal entered into the path of a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado being driven south on Lunn Road by Gerald Nipper. The Chevy truck struck Madrigal's Journey on the passenger side, and the Journey then crashed into a tree and a pole. Quiroz's Charger then struck the truck and the Journey, and then crashed into a tree.

Nipper was arrested at the scene for DUI, and a news release was sent out on December 26, 2019 (see below).

According to the forensic examination from all three vehicles, witness statements, and the evidence at the scene, the Chevy truck was traveling at 35 MPH. Madrigal's Journey was traveling at 103 MPH and heading westbound in the eastbound lane. Quiroz's Charger was traveling at 69 MPH.

Madrigal had 5 passengers in his Journey - of those, 4 were transported to a local hospital. One passenger was treated and released. One passenger, 16-year-old Dayton Smith, suffered a broken jaw and a fractured pelvis - his jaw is still wired shut and he has to use a walker. One passenger, 17-year-old** Diego Torres, fractured his pelvis and his tailbone and is just recently able to walk without a walker. 17-year-old passenger Jeremy Garcia is still in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury. **Torres was 16 at the time of the crash.

"This is a textbook and horrific example of how senseless and dangerous street racing is. Some of these victims will live with these injuries for the rest of their lives, and one may never fully recover. Meanwhile two teens are both being charged with four felonies. This is awful all around." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

Quiroz was taken into custody in Hillsborough County on a juvenile pick-up order (warrant). We do not have a mugshot for him.

Madrigal was released from the Polk County Jail on February 10, 2020, after posting $4,000 bond ($1,000 per charge).