HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Florida – A former Polk County deputy has been sentenced to more than three decades in prison after causing a deadly drunk driving crash and fleeing the country to avoid prosecution.
On Monday, March 16, 2026, 37-year-old Joshua Roelofs was sentenced to 32.5 years in prison for a 2022 crash that killed two people and permanently injured two others.
According to prosecutors, Roelofs was driving drunk at nearly 100 miles per hour on the Courtney Campbell Causeway when he crashed into another vehicle.
Before his trial, Roelofs fled the country in an attempt to avoid prosecution. Authorities later located him in South America and returned him to Tampa, where a jury ultimately found him guilty.
During the sentencing hearing, victims’ family members addressed the court, describing the devastating impact of the crash and the lasting trauma caused by the incident.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez said the families waited years for justice while Roelofs attempted to evade responsibility.
“The victims and their families had to wait four long years for justice,” Lopez said. “Instead of going to trial, this defendant ran from the law. He fled to South America, abandoning his wife and three children, all to escape taking responsibility for his actions.”
Prosecutors said the case highlights the consequences of impaired driving and the lasting impact it can have on victims and their families.
Assistant State Attorneys Kelsey Day and Michael Schmiz prosecuted the case.
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