Alejandro Rentas: Speeding Lamborghini driver charged with manslaughter following deadly crash that set car ablaze burning GF alive
BRONX, NEW YORK: Police said on Thursday, January 11, that a speeding Lamborghini driver was charged with manslaughter after his girlfriend, 21, died in a fiery crash in Upper Manhattan while he was running from the police.
The Bronx resident, Alejandro Rentas, 22, was additionally accused of assault and reckless endangerment. He was charged while he was still receiving treatment at Harlem Hospital following the crash on December 4, 2023.
Alejandro Rentas was chased by police after running a red light
Rentas' vehicle struck a subway pillar at the intersection of W. 213th St. and 10th Ave. in Inwood. Passenger Tiana Rodriguez died as a result of a fiery explosion caused by the force of the crash, according to police.
Approximately eight blocks away, Rentas had run a red light, prompting officers to attempt to stop him. But Rentas did not stop and drove off. According to police, the officers followed, and their cruiser's GPS showed they didn't go faster than 40 mph.
The cops were far behind the green Lamborghini as it sped in and out of frame in the video. Soon after, according to the police, Rentas attempted to drive past a Hyundai Elantra whose driver was attempting to make a left turn onto W. 213th St.
Rentas's move did not work. His vehicle whirled, slamming into an elevated No. 1 subway line pillar before smashing into the Elantra. Rentas was extracted from the flaming wreck by police, but Rodriguez could not be saved.
"I don't know what happened, it was so quick," the 37-year-old Elantra driver said, describing his minor injuries. “It was too fast. I was like normal driving and then boom.”
According to police, the Bronx resident, who has no criminal history, was also accused of assault and reckless endangerment.
Prosecutors said that he was charged with an indictment and was given a bond amount of either $150,000 cash, $350,000 insurance company bond, or $500,000 partially secured surety bond.
He's scheduled to reappear to court on April 8, according to New York Post.
Tiana Rodriguez's family speaks out
The day following the collision, Rodriguez's Bronx-based family and friends convened at her house to grieve. A relative, who requested that her name not be published, described her as a stunning, vibrant 21-year-old woman.
"She lit up every room she walked into. She was loved by her friends, father and mother. She will be missed,” she mentioned.
Rodriguez's mother claimed that Rentas' arrest hasn't made her feel any better. She said that she still gets emotional over her daughter's violent death.
The victim’s mother, Liza Rodriguez, 41 said, “That was her boyfriend. I don’t even want to speak about him. I have nothing to say about him. I haven’t spoken with the prosecutor yet. I have to get back to him.”
Rodriguez said that Tiana was her only child and it was difficult for her to live without her child, New York Daily News reported.
“I’m taking it day by day,” she went on to say. “Each day is a different emotion, but I’m keeping my daughter’s memory alive. I have a huge support system.”
Liza went on to say that Tiana was a beautiful, funny, and loving daughter who loved cooking and spending time with her family.
She also had plans to go to culinary school. Tiana's grandmother was moving from Bronx to North Carolina and Tiana was supposed to go and stay with her grandmother for some time before the tragedy happened. Liza also recalled Tiana's love for animals and how her grandmother was her best friend.
