A tragic night unfolded in Miami Beach when a high-speed crash left one young woman dead and a driver facing serious charges. It all started late Friday, February 21, on the MacArthur Causeway — a busy road connecting Miami Beach to the mainland. That night, 24-year-old Nicholas Devon Robinson was driving back from a birthday party at a South Beach bar when things took a devastating turn.
Robinson was behind the wheel of a silver Polestar Model 2, speeding down the causeway at an estimated 100 mph in a zone where the speed limit was just 40 mph. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Gabriela Alejandra Rios Flores had just been helped by a police officer after her Jeep Wrangler broke down. The officer moved her car safely to the shoulder on the left side of the westbound lanes — but it wasn’t safe for long.
As Robinson’s car swerved, it clipped a concrete road divider before slamming into the back of Rios Flores’ Jeep. The impact was so powerful that the Jeep flew over the barrier, ejecting Rios Flores from the vehicle. Emergency responders rushed her to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition, but despite their efforts, she later died from her injuries.
When police detained Robinson at the scene, they were shocked by his behavior. He seemed completely unaware of what had just happened, reportedly asking officers, “Why are you stopping me? It’s my birthday! Did you get the other car?” Officers noted he showed clear signs of intoxication — slurred speech, the smell of alcohol, and bloodshot, watery eyes. Later, he even vomited in the back of the patrol car.
Robinson refused a blood test at the scene, so police obtained a warrant to get a sample. He was arrested and charged with reckless driving and DUI causing serious bodily injury. After Rios Flores passed away, the charges were upgraded to vehicular homicide.
As the case moves forward, prosecutors have indicated the charges could become even more severe, potentially adding manslaughter. Robinson remains in custody at the Metrowest Detention Center on a $200,000 bond.
Gabriela Alejandra Rios Flores is being remembered as a bright and ambitious student. She was studying communications at Florida International University and had graduated from the Escuela Interamericana in El Salvador. Her sudden and tragic death has left her family and friends mourning a life cut far too short.
