A Florida woman is heading to prison for two decades after a fatal wrong-way crash on the state’s Turnpike killed a young paramedic — and her explanation in court left the victim’s family stunned.
Sunshine Perez, 46, pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the death of 23-year-old Ezekiel Urrutia. A judge sentenced her to 20 years behind bars on Friday.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened shortly before 2 a.m. on January 9, 2025, on the Turnpike in Miramar. Investigators say Perez drove south in the northbound lanes for over two miles before slamming head-on into Urrutia’s car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said Perez’s blood-alcohol level was nearly double the legal limit at the time, and toxicology results showed traces of THC, methamphetamine and oxycodone in her system. Officers on scene reported she had bloodshot eyes and smelled strongly of alcohol.
In court, Perez pushed back on part of the toxicology findings, insisting she never knowingly took the drugs found in her blood. She said she had a drink at a friend’s house after work and took what she believed was medication for back pain, only learning later that other substances turned up in her system.
Breaking down in tears, she apologized directly to Urrutia’s family, noting the irony of her own name during such a painful moment for everyone involved.
Urrutia’s family told the court the loss has been devastating. His father said no words could capture the moment police showed up at their door with the news. His mother spoke about the future she had imagined with her son — one that ended with her watching his death reported on the news instead.
Urrutia had reportedly been on track to be hired as a paramedic for the City of Miami at the time of his death.