Authorities say a 22-year-old West Palm Beach man was clocking triple-digit speeds on Interstate 95 when he caused a violent crash last fall that killed a 92-year-old woman. After months of investigation, troopers arrested him on June 10 and charged him with vehicular homicide in the southbound wreck near Gateway Boulevard that sent the victim to Delray Medical Center.
Guy Augustin is accused of causing the October 8 crash and is charged with one count of vehicular homicide. His bond was set at $100,000, and a judge ordered that he wear a GPS monitor if he is released. According to a warrant-arrest affidavit cited by CBS12, the crash happened around 9:45 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-95 about one-tenth of a mile south of Gateway Boulevard. The victim, 92-year-old Martha Gutierrez, was taken to Delray Medical Center and pronounced dead later that night.
Investigators say Augustin was driving a 2013 BMW 535i when he made an improper lane change and hit the rear left side of a 2016 Toyota Camry. The impact pushed the Camry into a concrete barrier. Troopers later pulled data from the BMW's event data recorder and say it showed the car traveling 123 mph five seconds before the collision, 119 mph one second before, and 117 mph at impact, with no evidence of braking.
How Investigators Use Vehicle 'Black Boxes'
Event data recorders, often called automotive "black boxes," capture information such as speed, braking, and other vehicle data in the moments leading up to a crash. Crash reconstruction teams rely on that information to piece together what happened in the seconds before an impact and to check it against witness accounts and physical evidence at the scene.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that many modern EDRs store several seconds of pre-crash data that investigators can analyze. NHTSA also publishes technical guidance on how that data is downloaded and interpreted.
Charges And What Comes Next
The arrest affidavit states that Augustin told investigators he had been driving between 95 and 100 mph in a 65 mph zone and was closely following two motorcycles. A witness reported seeing him weave through traffic and pass other vehicles at a high rate of speed. Investigators ultimately concluded that Augustin was solely responsible for the crash, according to CBS12.
The case remains pending in Palm Beach County. Any upcoming hearings, motions, or additional filings will be reflected in court records and through the state attorney's office.
