BOCA RATON, Fla. — Boca Raton police said a New Jersey man suspected of driving under the influence "had no idea" he had hit and killed a bicyclist over the weekend.
Thomas Vayianos, 35, of Brick, New Jersey, is facing a charge of DUI manslaughter with a vehicle causing death to a human.
According to Vayianos' newly released arrest report, a Boca Raton police officer responded to the 1400 block of North Ocean Boulevard just before 7:45 a.m. Sunday and found the body of a bicyclist, identified as Felipe Soares de Moraes, facedown on the shoulder of A1A.
Nearby, Vayianos was sitting with his Chevy Equinox, and Soares de Moraes' bicycle was "embedded" in the front bumper of the SUV, police said.
Another bicyclist told the Boca Raton police officer that he was riding his bike northbound on A1A in the marked bicycle lane just after 7 a.m. when the Equinox drove past him "so closely he could touch the vehicle."
The bicyclist said he saw the SUV swerving and then strike Soares de Moraes — who was riding his bike up ahead in the bicycle lane — from behind. The impact sent Soares de Moraes flying off his bike. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the arrest report, when the officer spoke to Vayianos, he said, "I'm worried about the Hotel people," and repeatedly made references to "the hotel" and "hotel people."
Vayianos had pinpoint pupils, was unsteady on his feet, and "had to be asked questions multiple times as he would either not answer the question at all or go off-topic with seemingly unrelated matters," the report said.
The officer said Vayianos told him he's in rehab and said "he had no idea he struck a bicyclist," the arrest report stated.
"When I asked again if he remembered the crash Thomas began to explain an incident that occurred in Vermont where he 'tapped someone,'" the report said.
Vayianos told the officer he's currently taking Adderall and Vyvance, which are medications used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, along with the anti-seizure medication Gabapentin. He said he last took the drugs "last night after midnight," and he thought it was 10:30 a.m. "as that was his check-out time from the hotel," the report said.
Boca Raton police said Vayianos failed multiple field sobriety tests and was taken into custody.
In court Monday, a judge set Vayianos' bond at $150,000 and ordered him to have no contact with the family of the victim or witnesses, as well as no access to alcohol, illegal drugs, non-prescription drugs, and weapons. He must also undergo random drug testing.
