HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A Tampa woman with a history of DUI offenses has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a high-speed crash in Plant City that killed one passenger and seriously injured two others. Jennifer Carvajal, 25, faces up to life in prison for her role in the 2021 crash.
Carvajal was driving a Hyundai Elantra at over 110 mph on I-4 when she lost control of the vehicle, causing it to become airborne and collide with a parked pickup truck, a light pole, and a palm tree before overturning.
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The impact ejected two passengers from the vehicle, while a third passenger, a 19-year-old man from Plant City, was thrown from the front seat to the back. The 22-year-old Plant City man who was ejected from the vehicle tragically died from his injuries.
Carvajal, who was the only occupant wearing a seatbelt, sustained minor injuries. She was arrested and charged with reckless driving, DUI, and violation of probation for a previous DUI manslaughter conviction.
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This was not Carvajal’s first encounter with the law. At the age of 17, she was convicted of DUI manslaughter in a separate fatal crash and served five years in prison. The 2021 incident occurred while she was on probation for that crime.
Carvajal’s charges were upgraded to reflect the fatality, and she pleaded guilty just as her trial was set to begin. Her sentencing is scheduled for May, where she could face a life sentence.
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