A wild series of events unfolded on a busy Florida interstate Sunday afternoon when David Arturo Sanabria, a 36-year-old man from Pompano Beach, was involved in a hit-and-run crash and subsequent carjacking. According to a Florida Highway Patrol arrest report, Sanabria, later found to be high on cocaine, caused a collision on I-95 near Gateway Boulevard in Boynton Beach at around 4:42 p.m. that led to him commandeering another driver's vehicle at gunpoint, reports WPTV News Channel 5.
Upon arriving at the crash site, troopers discovered a heavily damaged black Honda Accord and its two occupants who appeared visibly shaken by the incident. The report detailed how Sanabria improperly attempted to change lanes in his silver Ford Explorer which to directly cause the Honda to spin out and collide with a concrete barrier. It was only moments later that Sanabria, weapon in hand—allegedly an AR-15—forced a man driving an older-model tan Chevrolet to drive him to Broward Health North, stated CBS12. The victim, in fear of his life, complied with Sanabria's demands.
The suspect's escapade continued as surveillance footage captured him entering the hospital still armed. However, Sanabria wasn't apprehended at the medical facility. A Broward Sheriff's Office guard later reported that Sanabria handed over a firearm as he walked into the emergency entrance. It wasn't until around 6:30 p.m. that deputies located Sanabria at the Heritage Circle Condo Associates with a female companion, according to WPTV News Channel 5.
Once in custody, Sanabria admitted to being under the influence of cocaine during the wreck and claimed to have exchanged the AR-15 for the carjacking victim's handgun upon reaching the hospital. "They agreed to trade," Sanabria told investigators, a claim that has yet to be verified. It was also revealed that Sanabria, a convicted felon who previously served time in prison, was aware that he was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. In spite of this, Sanabria now faces multiple serious charges including hit-and-run with injuries, kidnapping, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and armed robbery, detailed CBS12.
Sanabria appeared in a Palm Beach County courtroom on June 3, where he was denied bond and remains held at the main Palm Beach County jail.
