A 17-year-old is facing a first-degree murder charge after investigators say he deliberately ran down another teen in Orlando’s Oak Ridge neighborhood, turning what first looked like a hit-and-run into a homicide case. The victim, 17-year-old Mikhail Cuba, was found critically injured and died several days later, after what deputies initially treated as a traffic crash. Detectives say surveillance video changed everything, suggesting the impact was intentional and prompting them to seek an arrest.
According to FOX 35 Orlando, deputies were called to a reported hit-and-run on Nov. 20, 2025, along Wakulla Way in the Oak Ridge neighborhood, near W. Oak Ridge Road and John Young Parkway. The Florida Highway Patrol initially took the lead on the investigation before the Orange County Sheriff’s Office homicide unit stepped in, after investigators located surveillance footage they say shows the vehicle striking Cuba on purpose.
How Detectives Say the Crash Became a Murder Case
Homicide detectives obtained an arrest warrant for 17-year-old Elijah Richard Emmans after reviewing the surveillance footage, according to WFTV. Officials say Emmans was taken into custody on the afternoon of March 6 and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center as the case moved forward through the system.
Teen’s Death Rattles Oak Ridge Neighborhood
Local reporting indicates Cuba died three days after the Nov. 20 incident, leaving classmates and neighbors stunned and looking for answers. WESH noted that the Florida Highway Patrol had originally overseen the case, and that earlier fatal crashes in the same area had already sparked calls for traffic-safety improvements last spring. In a separate incident, ClickOrlando detailed an April crash near Oak Ridge High School that renewed long-running concerns about dangerous roads around the neighborhood.
What Happens Next
The sheriff’s office says the investigation remains active, and Emmans faces a first-degree murder charge and is being held in juvenile custody following his arrest, according to WFTV. Investigators have not released any further information about a possible motive as they continue gathering evidence.
