A weekend ride on a utility-terrain vehicle in rural Okeechobee County turned deadly when the off-road machine flipped on private land, killing a front-seat passenger and injuring two others. Troopers say the 25-year-old Vero Beach woman behind the wheel was impaired, has been charged with DUI manslaughter, and is now being held on an active Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.
According to CBS12, the driver is Blanca Yorleni Ruiz Dominguez, 25, who was born in Honduras. She was arrested late on May 16 after investigators say the UTV overturned near Northwest 240th Street. Troopers told reporters that Ruiz Dominguez admitted to drinking, and medical staff recorded an initial blood-alcohol reading of 0.128. Court records show she faces a felony DUI manslaughter charge along with multiple misdemeanor counts, is being held without bond, and is scheduled to appear in Okeechobee County Court on June 15.
Crash Scene and Injuries
Florida Highway Patrol records show the call for help came in around 3:56 p.m. from a rural property listed as 21021 NW 240th Street, where four people were riding in a 2026 Can-Am Maverick X3, per WPBF. Investigators say the UTV accelerated in soft sand, made a left turn, and overturned. The front passenger, 34-year-old Seidy Dariela Galiano Salinos, was ejected and later pronounced dead at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. Two other passengers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at local hospitals.
What Investigators Say
Troopers said witnesses told them the group had been drinking earlier at a home in Fort Pierce and that alcohol was found at the crash site, including a Corona bottle inside the UTV and crushed Modelo cans nearby, according to WPEC. Ruiz Dominguez told officers she had tried to pull a "donut" with the UTV before losing control, troopers said. Investigators are still processing the scene as the Florida Highway Patrol works with local deputies on the active case.
Legal Implications
Under Florida law, causing a death while driving under the influence can be prosecuted as DUI manslaughter, a felony that carries a mandatory minimum prison term, per the Florida Senate. An active ICE detainer is a federal request that local authorities hold an individual so Immigration and Customs Enforcement can assume custody, typically asking agencies to maintain custody for up to 48 hours while ICE responds, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Those federal and state criminal processes move on separate tracks and can affect how long a person remains in custody while prosecutors pursue charges.
Next Steps
Ruiz Dominguez was taken to the St. Lucie County Jail after being medically cleared, and court records show she is scheduled to appear in Okeechobee County Court on June 15. FHP says the crash remains under investigation and has urged anyone with information or video from the area to come forward, per WPBF. Prosecutors will determine the final slate of charges once investigators finish their review and toxicology results are available.
