Teen jailed for crash that killed Columbus High student, severely injured Miami firefighter

The son of a high-ranking Miami firefighter has been charged with the traffic crash that killed a teenager and severely injured a member of his father’s own department.

Alexander Martinez, 18, was booked into a Miami-Dade jail late Thursday on charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.

He is the son of Miami Fire-Rescue Capt. Eduardo Martinez, who oversees emergency medical services for the department.

The younger Martinez remained jailed Friday afternoon, but will be allowed to post bond and await trial while free.

The tragic chain of events started on May 18, 2018, as Miami firefighters rushed to the side of Interstate 95 just south of Northwest 62nd Street. The call: someone was stuck inside a car that had been hit by a hit-and-run driver.

As firefighters worked to extricate the person, a gray 2015 Toyota Rav4 was driving north, lost control, hit a concrete wall and sideswiped the firetruck parked on the side of the Interstate.

The Toyota, state troopers said, was driven by Martinez. It was traveling at 83.3 mph when it crashed, according to an arrest warrant released Friday.

Killed in the crash was 16-year-old James Villa, a student at Christopher Columbus High School. He was a passenger in the Toyota.

Severely injured in the crash was firefighter Javier Corrales, who was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He spent several days in the hospital before he was released. Corrales suffered a skull fracture and a fractured spine, among other injuries.

Another firefighter was also injured. The other passengers in the Toyota were hospitalized, as were the two people from the stranded car that was on the side of Interstate 95.

Martinez’s cellphone, which featured a map and directions to the home of one of his passengers, was discovered on the driver’s side seat, according to an arrest warrant by Florida Highway Patrol Cpl. Christine Gracey.

In the hospital, Martinez admitted he’d been drinking that night — but insisted he was not driving at the time of the crash, troopers said.

Toxicology tests on his blood revealed he had a blood alcohol content level of .09, just over the legal limit for someone over the age of 21. Martinez, however, was only 17 at the time of the crash and was not supposed to be drinking alcohol, troopers said.

The other passengers, however, told investigators that Martinez was behind the wheel of the Toyota at the time of the crash.

This story was originally published February 7, 2020 at 9:16 AM.