One of the victims — who drove a car with the same make and model as Hill’s ex, but in a different color — was allegedly on the phone with her 9-year-old daughter and father while being chased, telling family Hill was going to kill her and her boyfriend.
A Florida man, who police say threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend, instead claimed the life of a random woman … after he chased down the wrong vehicle in a drunken rage.
Kyle Hill (above lower right), 33, was arrested on charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and a probation violation following a car crash which killed Arislenni Blanco-Medina, 28, and injured her boyfriend, Norbelis Figueredo-Campos (above right).
On Wednesday, the St. Petersburg Police Department announced the charges were upgraded to 1st degree murder and attempted 1st degree murder.
The incident went down on Sunday night in St. Pete, around 8pm, following an argument Hill had with his ex-girlfriend, per police. According to authorities, his girlfriend took off in a friend’s car and he “decided to drive his Nissan SUV to go find her.”
While driving around town, Hill allegedly saw a Honda and “assumed it was his ex-girlfriend.” According to Police Chief Anthony Holloway, via FOX 13, the vehicle was the same make and model as the car his ex was in, but was a different color.
“While chasing a car, he called her again and said, ‘I got you. I’m going to kill you, your friend, and myself,'” Holloway added in a press conference. “But, it gets worse from there. The car that he was chasing was not his girlfriend’s car.”
Per police, Hill “began aggressively chasing and harassing the Honda for several blocks.”
Inside the vehicle were Figueredo-Campos and Blanco-Medina, who had both moved to Florida from Cuba; Blanco-Medina had only been in the US for a couple months before her death, said family during the same presser. The two were on their way to Walmart, said police.
Authorities claimed Blanco-Medina was on the phone with her 9-year-old daughter and father, who were both in Cuba, during the pursuit. Per her brother, her last words were her screaming, “He’s going to kill me.” They also heard the crash, said police.
As Hill “continued to pursue them,” according to police, he “forced them off the road” and onto the sidewalk, where they struck a concrete pole that fell and crushed the car. Blanco-Medina died in the incident, while Figueredo-Campos was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, said cops.
Hill, meanwhile, also lost control of his vehicle and slammed into a tree. According to authorities, his blood alcohol level was “more than twice the legal limit.”
“He used his car as a weapon,” Holloway said, per the Tampa Bay Times — which also reported the arrest affidavit states Hill was driving more than 60mph in a 35mph zone.
Hill is being held without bail.