Miami Hurricanes linebacker Adarius Hayes faces three counts of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving with serious bodily injury following a May 10 crash in his hometown of Largo, Florida, that killed three people and seriously injured a fourth. Largo lies about 20 miles east of Tampa and 15 miles north of St. Petersburg along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Hayes, 20, turned himself in to authorities on Friday, and the Pinellas County Jail booked him before he posted a $350,000 bond. The Largo Police Department reported that the crash occurred around 1:43 p.m. at the intersection of Orange View Drive and Ridge Road. Hayes was driving a Dodge Durango when he collided with a Kia Soul carrying 78-year-old Gail Price and two children, 10-year-old Jabari Elijah Solomon and four-year-old Charlie Herbert Solomon Riveria.
The impact threw the children from the Kia, and authorities pronounced them dead at the scene, while Price died at the hospital the following day. A 58-year-old front-seat passenger, Herbert Riveria, survived but sustained serious injuries.
Investigators found that Hayes drove at dangerously high speeds and executed aggressive maneuvers in the seconds leading up to the crash. Data from his vehicle showed Hayes was traveling 70.8 mph five seconds before impact and accelerated to 78.9 mph in a 40 mph zone at the moment of collision.
Police noted that Hayes crossed three lanes of traffic without signaling, then re-entered the curb lane before striking the Kia as it executed a lawful left-hand turn westbound onto Orange View Drive.
“The investigation concluded that Adarius Hayes’ egregious speed, aggressive and reckless lane changes, and complete disregard for surrounding traffic conditions demonstrated a willful and deliberate disregard for the safety of others, constituting reckless driving. These actions directly led to the tragic deaths of the three victims,” Largo police stated.
The University of Miami acted quickly in response to the charges.
“Following the charges issued today by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, student-athlete Adarius Hayes has been indefinitely suspended from all athletic-related activities per athletic department police. We will have no further comment,” the university said in a statement.
Hayes, a four-star recruit from Largo High School, played in 12 games as a freshman last season, mostly on special teams, recording four tackles and one interception. The Hurricanes have planned for him to play a larger role in their defense as they open the 2025 season this weekend against No. 6 Notre Dame.
Authorities continue to investigate the May 10 crash to fully assess the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
