Tampa Police Report: Inebriated Driver Strikes Sleeping Man, Crashes Into Carrabba’s

On Tuesday night, Angel Molina, aged 30, reportedly lost control of his vehicle along North Dale Mabry Highway, striking a man who was sleeping in the vicinity of the Carrabba’s parking lot, according to police statements.

On Tuesday, Tampa police apprehended Angel Manuel Molina, 30, following an incident in which investigators assert he was operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Molina allegedly lost control of his car, striking a sleeping man, and subsequently crashed into a Carrabba’s restaurant.

Facing multiple charges, including DUI manslaughter, driving without a valid license involving a death, DUI with property damage, and refusing to submit to testing, Molina’s arrest stemmed from an incident around 9:40 p.m. on North Dale Mabry Highway. The police report indicates that Molina was traveling south at a high speed, executed a sudden lane change, and lost control of his vehicle. The car left the roadway, collided with a utility pole, ran over a sleeping man near the Carrabba’s parking lot, and ultimately crashed into the restaurant building, as detailed in a news release from the Tampa Police Department.

According to witnesses, Angel Manuel Molina allegedly removed an alcoholic beverage can from his vehicle before police arrived at the scene. Despite showing signs of impairment and refusing a breath test, a medical examination revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.187, well above the legal limit of 0.08 for presumed impairment in Florida.

Further investigation uncovered that Molina’s license had been suspended in December 2021. Subsequently, he was booked into the Hillsborough County jail without bond as of Wednesday.

The police have not disclosed the identity of the deceased individual, as they are still in the process of notifying the victim’s family.

Court records from Hillsborough reveal Molina’s prior legal history, including a 2019 plea of no contest to charges of DUI resulting in property damage or injury, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, and marijuana possession. The incident involved Molina leaving the scene of a crash in the Egypt Lake-Leto area, causing approximately $1,000 in damage, according to an arrest affidavit.