A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to six days in jail after street racing with another vehicle on US-1 at 125 miles per hour. In addition, he paid a fine of $263.
The other driver’s case is still pending in the courts.
On March 2, 2023, at approximately 1:55 am, Pablo Paniagua of Vero Beach was driving a Mustang south through the intersection of CR-512 (Sebastian Blvd) and US Hwy 1 at a high rate of speed.
A deputy conducted a traffic stop, and Paniagua was charged with Racing on a Highway.
Previous Arrests:
- July 2019 – Operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license
- May 2020 – Leaving the scene of an accident, driving without a valid driver’s license
After his arrest in 2020, Paniagua received a citation for following another vehicle too closely and another 6 months later for speeding through a school zone.
The charge of Racing on a Highway means “the use of one or more motor vehicles in competition, arising from a challenge to demonstrate the superiority of a motor vehicle or driver and the acceptance or competitive response to that challenge, either through a prior arrangement or in immediate response, in which the competitor attempts to outgain or outdistance another motor vehicle, to prevent another motor vehicle from passing, to arrive at a given destination ahead of another motor vehicle or motor vehicles,” according to Florida Statute 316.187.
