A man accused of causing an accident while under the influence fled the United States for 15 years to avoid prosecution, Florida authorities said.
He was arrested after boarding a flight to Orlando, according to state officials.
Faisal Javaid was 27 years old at the time of a 2006 crash in Polk County that left two people seriously injured, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said in an April 16 news release.
On May 20, 2006, Javaid was driving a Jaguar on I-4 when he lost control of the car, crossed the median and struck a Honda traveling in the opposite direction, police said. The Honda flipped onto its roof, trapping two people inside, officials said.
Photos show the Jaguar was “shorn in two”.
Highway patrol officers said Javaid appeared to be impaired and a blood test of 0.129 exceeded the legal limit in Florida, according to court documents.
McClatchy News reached out to Javaid’s attorney for comment and did not immediately receive a response as of April 16.
His trial was scheduled for 2008, but shortly before that he left the country for Pakistan and did not return, officials said. When he failed to appear for trial, a warrant was issued for his arrest, records show.
In an email exchange between his father and his attorney at the time, his father said he asked his son to come to Pakistan to see his ailing grandmother, according to court documents.
The father told the lawyer that local authorities in Pakistan prevented Javaid from boarding a flight.
“My son really wants to come turn himself in and face the court,” his father wrote in an email. “Since you are representing him, I would greatly appreciate it if you could explain the situation to the prosecutor and resolve this case with less punishment, perhaps without jail time.”
He said they were working with an immigration attorney so Javaid could return to the United States, but 15 years have passed with “no updates,” according to state officials.
They said the victims “wondered if justice would ever be served following the crash, where both suffered life-altering injuries”.
Then one day in May 2023, soldiers received a phone call.
Javaid spent time in Pakistan and Kenya before taking a flight to Orlando, where he was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear for his trial, according to the District Attorney’s Office. ‘State.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail and held without bail until his trial, at which he was found guilty, officials said.
Javaid, now 45, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Polk County is in central Florida, approximately 55 miles east of downtown Tampa.
What you need to know about drunk driving
In 2020, nearly 12,000 people were killed in car crashes involving drunk drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 30 people die every day in crashes involving a drunk driver, the CDC reported.
“Safe driving requires concentration, coordination, good judgment, and quick reactions to the environment,” the CDC said. “Any use of alcohol or other drugs impairs the ability to drive safely.”
A person’s blood alcohol level can be measured, and the legal limit for driving in most states is 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter. Experts say, however, that even lower alcohol concentration levels can lead to impairment.
The CDC says everyone can help prevent drunk driving by following these steps:
Don’t let your friends drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Do not drive with an impaired driver.
If you’re hosting a party, remind your guests to plan ahead.
Arrange alternative transportation or have a designated driver.
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