A Central Florida man was arrested for vehicular homicide for a fatal crash last November.
Traffic Homicide detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office recently arrested a man for causing the fatal crash in Davenport.
The two-vehicle crash occurred on November 3, 2024 on US 27 at Poitras Road Two.
84-year old Donald Shelby Wright, of Davenport, died during emergency surgery following the crash.
The driver of the other vehicle, 27-year old Paul Castellano Aponte, of Davenport, was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
“My Traffic Homicide detectives are the very best at what they do,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “They conducted extensive analysis all of the evidence, and determined that this wasn’t a crash caused by carelessness; this crash was caused by reckless operation and a total disregard for the safety of everyone on the road that day.”
The crash data recorder showed that Castellano Aponte’s Mazda sedan was traveling 101 mph about five seconds prior to the crash. The speed limit in that area is 55 mph.
The Mazda’s speed was calculated to be 71 mph at the time it collided with Wright’s Ford EcoSport.
Witness statements were consistent with the analysis, saying that the Mazda was being recklessly operated prior to the crash, and was weaving through traffic.
Following his arrest, Castellano Aponte told detectives that he was speeding because he was tired from working all night. Paul Castellano Aponte was booked-in at the Polk County Jail and charged with Vehicular Homicide.
