Case Update: Felony charges filed in fatal crash on Cortez Rd.
November 4, 2024
Case #:2024-008947
(UPDATE: November 21) Today, a Manatee County Judge denied bond for Cesar Navarrete, 25, the driver charged in the Nov. 2 crash that killed Sara Holmes, 37. Navarrete had requested a reduction in his $1.25-million-dollar bond. The judge determined he should, instead, be held without bond. Navarrete will be arraigned on Dec. 27. Our investigation is ongoing.
ORIGINAL RELEASE IS BELOW
This evening, the Bradenton Police Department arrested Cesar Navarrete, 25, on felony charges related to a fatal crash on Saturday, November 2.
According to Traffic Homicide Investigators, Navarrete was driving at an extremely high rate of speed on westbound Cortez Road approaching 43rd Street W. at approximately 10:40 p.m. on Saturday. He ran a red light and slammed into a Chevrolet Equinox, splitting the vehicle in half. Sara-Danielle Holmes, 37, who was in the passenger seat of the Equinox, died as a result of the collision.
Navarrete and a passenger in his vehicle, a Nissan Altima, were transported to a hospital for treatment. Navarrete displayed signs of impairment, and the subsequent DUI investigation revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .289.
Cesar Navarrete faces the following charges:
DUI Manslaughter, a second-degree felony
Driving While License Suspended Causing Death or Serious Bodily Injury, a third-degree felony
Navarrete, who remains hospitalized, was arrested on Sunday on an outstanding Manatee County bench warrant for driving with a suspended license, which was unrelated to this case.
Navarrete had an outstanding bench warrant at the time of the crash. He was arrested on the warrant while at the hospital. BPD then obtained arrest warrants for Navarrete. He remained hospitalized for several days and, once discharged, was transferred to the jail’s medical facility.
Cesar Navarrete