MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A former Atlanta Braves minor league player faces charges after Florida Highway Patrol says he left the scene of a deadly crash on Interstate 75.
FHP arrested Jonathan Matos Morales on charges of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a deadly crash. Troopers said his car was found parked at the Braves’ spring training facility.
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The crash happened Monday morning on I-75 at mile marker 220 in Manatee County, Fla. Troopers said Morales collided with his Ford Mustang with a driver in a Chevy Trailblazer.
The impact sent the Chevy into a semi-truck, which flipped over on the interstate. The semi-truck driver, a 34-year-old from New Smyrna, died.
Troopers said Morales briefly stopped, but then left the scene. They later tracked his Mustang to the CoolToday Park, the spring training home for the Atlanta Braves. Morales was arrested and booked into Manatee County Jail.
The Atlanta Braves confirmed in a statement that Morales was once in their minor league system. His minor league profile shows he was last active in 2025.
“Our organization is cooperating fully with authorities and will not have any further comment at this time. Our condolences go to the loved ones of all who were involved,” a spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
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