TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County detention deputy Daniel Hernandez is standing trial for the death of 65-year-old Krista Richter and the serious injuries of her husband, Peter, following a traffic crash on Aug. 20, 2021.
The couple had just left a restaurant that evening and were driving their Nissan SUV along Dale Mabry Highway around 7:45 p.m. Prosecutors say Krista was making a left turn when Hernandez’s Ford Mustang slammed into their car at high speed.
Peter Richter testified about the moment of the crash.
“I looked at Krista, and I saw her leg going around like a sock in the dryer. It was just unbelievable,” he said.
He also described the lasting impact of his injuries.
“I just don’t move overall the way I used to … it makes me feel a lot less of a person.”
Krista Richter died at the hospital nine days later.
Assistant State Attorney Christina Berkowicz told jurors Hernandez’s actions went far beyond simple speeding.
“You’re also going to hear about the EDR that was pulled from the Ford Mustang, and you’re going to hear that about five seconds prior to the crash, the defendant was going 83.6 miles per hour with 100% of his accelerator pedal pushed… at that time, he reached a speed of 106.5 miles per hour,” She added“This is not a case of just speeding. This is not a civil case of just somebody was speeding and a car crash occurred. This was grossly excessive speed in an area heavily populated and surrounded by businesses.”
Defense attorney Bryant R. Camareno told the jury the crash was a tragedy but not a crime.
“But according to the report, based on available medical information, circumstances of death and findings of external examination, it is my opinion that…the manner of death was accident — a sport utility vehicle collided with an automobile and overturned.”
He said the case comes down to intent.
“It is an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly, deadly, and unintentional… Common sense tells us what an accident is. And I submit to you that, ultimately, the state will not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he behaved willfully and wantonly in a way that they intentionally did this without any regard for anybody.”
According to a search warrant, a private engineering firm hired by the legal counsel representing Richter imaged an electronic data recorder inside the Mustang nearly a month after the crash on Sept. 15, 2021.
The image was forwarded to a Florida Highway Patrol corporal who requested the assistance of the FHP Florida Advanced Investigation and Reconstruction (FLAIR) Team 3 to independently image the EDR.
The device revealed Hernandez was driving at 109.2 miles per hour 1.5 seconds before impact.
Camareno questioned the reliability of the black box data.
“There was nothing left on the ground for him to examine, to compare, to see how accurate this piece of technology, this black box is.”
The trial is expected to continue Thursday at 9 a.m. with testimony along with jury deliberations.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
