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Florida Man Sentenced To 14 Years For Leaving Scene Of Fatal Crash

PUNTA GORDA (CBSMiami/AP) — A lengthy prison sentence acts as a reminder to never leave the scene of a crash.

A Florida man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for a fatal crash.

Michael Brutus MUG
Mugshot for Michael Brutus. (Source: Charlotte County Sheriff's Office)

Charlotte County prosecutors say 25-year-old Michel Brutus was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to leaving the scene of a crash involving death.

Authorities say Brutus was driving on U.S. 41 in December 2016 when he drove into a ditch and hit a road sign and a tree. His two passengers, Wesley Chery and Brittany Beni, both died at the scene.

Brutus fled the area after the crash, leading Florida Highway Patrol investigators to initially believe Chery or Beni had been driving. DNA from the driver-side airbag connected Brutus to the crash.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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