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Published on: November 25, 2024
Office of the State Attorney
Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida
www.sao4th.com
Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida
www.sao4th.com
Melissa W Nelson
State Attorney
311 West Monroe Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202-4242
(904) 255-2500
State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that Ariel Monteagudo pleaded guilty to Vehicular Homicide for a wrong way crash that caused the death of 18-year-old Trenton Stewart. Per the negotiated plea, Monteagudo faces a range of 8-12 years in Florida State Prison followed by probation. The Honorable Jeb Branham will sentence Monteagudo at a later date.
Around 1 a.m. on May 9, 2023, Stewart was home from college on summer break and was driving east on Old St. Augustine Road. Monteagudo was driving the wrong way in the eastbound lanes. Monteagudo, speeding above 100-mph in a 45-mph zone, crashed head on into Stewart’s SUV. Stewart’s SUV flipped and hit a tree 138 feet from the crash site; Jacksonville Fire and Rescue cut off part of the vehicle to remove Stewart from the wreckage. Both men were injured from the crash and taken to a hospital. Stewart died in the hospital due to his injuries.
The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney John Kalinowski.