Driver in 5-car Sarasota crash arrested by troopers, victim identified by investigators

The driver who allegedly ran a red light and caused a five-car Sarasota crash has been arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol, troopers said. The crash left one person dead and seven people injured, including a 2-year-old girl.

Aramis Harrison, 38, from Bradenton was arrested on April 30 after failing to stop at a red light in the right turn lane of US-301, north of Northgate Boulevard, according to a crash report from the Florida Highway Patrol. At the time of the crash on April 23, Harrison had several warrants out for his arrest.

At 1:43 p.m. Harrison failed to stop at the red light, and at the time of impact, an Electronic Data Recorder said that the car was traveling at 96 to 100 mph in a 50 mph zone, investigators said. The front of the Nissan Rogue Harrison was driving collided with an SUV that was entering the intersection.

As of May 4, there have been 6,821 crashes in Sarasota County. Among those, there have been 58 deaths and 4,026 injuries. In Manatee County, there were 6,420 crashes with 72 deaths from all crashes and 4,613 injuries, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles crash dashboard.

In case you missed it: Car failed to stop at red light, 1 person killed, 7 injured in 5-car Sarasota crash, troopers say

Minutes before the crash, Harrison fled from Bradenton Police officers. Officers were tracking the car he was driving using a cell phone ping for a suspect in alleged shooting. After the car was stopped, Harrison switched with the woman who was driving initially and drove away.

Due to the agency’s policy, no pursuit was initiated after Harrison fled, and the red Nissan Rouge was seen driving recklessly with no law enforcement in pursuit. A witness told investigators that the Nissan Rogue even ran a traffic signal near DeSoto Road, investigators allege in an arrest report.

More: Sarasota deputies nab man in fatal pedestrian crash, second hit-and-run arrest in week

Meredith Censullo, Bradenton Police Public Information Officer, said that the traffic stop was made just north of the Sarasota-Manatee County line. Officers didn't follow the car into Sarasota County, as they only conduct police chases within their own jurisdiction, Censullo said.

The SUV that Harrison crashed into rotated multiple times, as the Nissan Rogue continued to travel south in the intersection. The Nissan Rogue overturned, and its rear collided with the front of another stopped SUV that was waiting in the left-turn lane of US-301. The second SUV that was hit while stopped was propelled backward, hitting the front left of another car. The initial SUV involved in the crash collided with the rear of another car.

Harrison and the woman in the passenger seat were pulled out of the overturned car and were in surgery and intubated throughout the night of the crash.

The passenger of the SUV that was hit in the intersection was pronounced dead by Sarasota County EMS which arrived at the scene of the crash. Investigators later identified her as Carolyn A. Willis, 71, of Bradenton. She was just one month shy of her 72nd birthday.

Her 2-year-old great-granddaughter, who was in the car with her during the crash, had serious injuries, but she has since recovered. Willis leaves behind two sons, one daughter, her sister and brother, eight grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Willis worked as a certified nursing assistant and retired 15 years ago. Paul Williams, Willis' son, said that she was one of the most loving and caring people. She loved going to church and would help anyone in need. His mom stuck by him throughout his addiction recovery, as he now celebrates five years of sobriety.

"She didn't see color or your situation," Williams said. "If she could help you, she would help you. The world needs more people like her."

Those who were seriously and critically injured include: a 38-year-old man from Mississippi, a 39-year-old woman from Sarasota, a 30-year-old woman from Parrish, the 2-year-old from Bradenton, a 72-year-old woman from South Carolina; a woman from South Carolina with an unlisted age and a man from South Carolina with an unlisted age.

While officers were interviewing Harrison on April 26 for a separate investigation, he told officers that he thought that he was being pursued by officers before the crash occurred.

Harrison told officers that he wanted to apologize to the family, and he admitted to officers that he was driving and was remorseful for his action, investigators said in the arrest report.

Williams said that his mom would forgive Harrison; that was the kind of woman she was. She would want Harris to make something better of his life, he added.

"That (forgiveness) is hard to do, but that's what she would want us to do," Williams said. "She believed that everyone deserved to be loved."

Harrison has a history of fleeing from law enforcement, according to court records from Sarasota and Manatee County. He fled from law enforcement and began a high-speed chase on October 2014 with Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and in May 2011 he engaged in a high-speed chase with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Harrison faces charges of vehicular homicide and non-premeditated homicide during another felony, both second-degree felonies. Harrison is pleading not guilty for each charge. An arraignment hearing for Harrison was set for June 14.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Driver in 5-car Sarasota crash arrested by troopers, victim identified