Pittsburgh Pirates star Oneil Cruz allegedly hired a fixer to pay roughly $66,000 to the families of three young people killed when his SUV rear-ended their motorcycle in the Dominican Republic in 2020, according to a new report. The 27-year-old slugger, now one of the Pirates' most talked-about hitters, was charged with reckless driving and causing an accident resulting in death, and the case was formally dismissed months before he made his major league debut.
What Happened the Night of the Crash
Cruz's SUV struck an unlit motorcycle carrying three riders near Nizao in Peravia province on September 21, 2020, killing all three: 20-year-old Yohan Saba Mercado, 20-year-old Deby Beato Charles, and 19-year-old Daniela Pérez García, according to reporting cited by TMZ. The crash happened while a government-mandated COVID-19 pandemic curfew was in effect, Dominican transit authorities reported at the time, as detailed by MLB.com. A spokeswoman for the Dominican prosecutor's office said at the time that Cruz smelled of alcohol after the crash, but she also acknowledged that officers never conducted an official sobriety test because of a procedural error, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Cruz was released from police custody after posting a bond worth about $34,000 and agreeing to periodic court appearances, per a report at the time from Nittany Sports Now. Prosecutors could have pursued charges against Cruz, but the case ultimately unraveled after the victims' families stopped participating in the proceedings.
How the Case Quietly Disappeared
A new investigation from ProPublica examined Cruz's case and reported on payments to the victims' families. Overall, fixer Santo Caraballo — described as a prestamista, or moneylender, per TMZ's report — allegedly distributed around $66,000 in cash settlements to the three victims' families in exchange for the withdrawal of their legal claims, according to a report from Sports Illustrated.
Under Dominican Republic traffic law, surviving victims and their families hold substantial sway over whether prosecutors can maintain a criminal case. That legal mechanism is what allowed the case against Cruz to collapse once families stopped showing up.
Dismissal Cleared the Path to the Majors
A Dominican court formally dismissed all criminal proceedings against Cruz on August 30, 2021, after the victims' families stopped participating in the trial hearings — clearing the way for his major league debut just 33 days later, on October 2, 2021.
The Pittsburgh Pirates said the team addressed the matter more than six years ago based on the information available at the time and the outcome of the legal proceedings. Whether Cruz has been suspended over his alleged involvement in the crash remains unclear, and it remains unclear whether Major League Baseball will open its own investigation into the new report.
Caraballo's Rise in Dominican Baseball
ProPublica's investigation also examined Caraballo's activities in Dominican baseball, including his reported business model of exchanging upfront cash for a future percentage of the earnings of Dominican baseball prospects.
Cruz's Path From Bonus Baby to Franchise Face
Cruz signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a $950,000 bonus in July 2015 before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a deal for veteran relief pitcher Tony Watson, according to MLB.com's own reporting from that trade. He has since emerged as a high-upside prospect and potential franchise player.
