STUART, Fla. — Enrique Hernandez, 18, has been arrested in connection with a deadly Martin County stolen car crash near the intersection of Southwest Kanner Highway and Southeast Cove Road that killed three people in May.
He is being charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of attempted burglary. He did admit to being the driver.
Three charges were added for aggravated fleeing and eluding with death.
Hernandez, who was 18 at the time of the crash, was brought to Martin County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday afternoon from the Palm Beach County Jail.
As he was being walked into the Martin County Sheriff's Office, WPTV's Jon Shainman asked Hernandez if he had anything to say to the families of those who died.
"I love my brothers," Hernandez said.
The stolen vehicle crashed into the St. Lucie River near Kanner Highway and Cove Road in the early morning hours of May 7. Nineteen-year-old Jerry Choisy, 18-year-old Geovany Alexis, and 17-year-old Marcus Griffin, all from Palm Beach County, died.
Hernandez and a 15-year-old from Boynton Beach were found alive. Investigators say the 15-year-old is cooperating with authorities.
Region Martin County
2 remaining teens ID'd after 3 killed in stolen car crash
Detectives told WPTV that solving this case took painstaking work, and ultimately came down to the color of someone's socks. They added that surveillance video from the night of the crash showed Hernandez getting into and out of the stolen vehicle from the driver's side.
Hernandez's height — and his socks — singled him out. According to Martin County Sheriff William Snyder, Hernandez was wearing white socks, while everyone else in the car was wearing black socks.
WPTV's Ethan Stein previously spoke with Hernandez's mother, Erica Hernandez, in May. She said her son told her "He had an accident, that’s all he said, an accident. He said he's 'OK. I’m in the hospital' and no more. I called him and no answer.”
The sheriff said his deputies were aware of the car, which reached speeds over 100 mph before it crash in the river. But they did not pursue it.
