Joshua Roelofs, a former deputy with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, is a wanted man after skipping out on his trial for allegedly killing two people in a DUI crash. The ex-deputy, now a fugitive, was charged with two counts of manslaughter in connection with the incident that occurred on the Courtney Campbell Causeway in the Tampa area on April 12, 2022.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Roelofs was scheduled to appear in court in April of this year either to plead guilty to the DUI manslaughter charges or to request a trial. Initially, he had been released on a $19,000 bond, but he failed to show up and has not been seen since.
Roelofs, who served as a Polk County Sheriff’s deputy for approximately five years before being fired in 2015 for allegedly falsifying time records to receive extra pay, is now the subject of a statewide manhunt. The arrest warrant issued by the court has prompted law enforcement to intensify efforts to locate him.
The crash, which occurred during the early morning hours, was captured on dashcam footage that reportedly showed Roelofs driving erratically and swerving in and out of lanes before the collision. The collision resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including Kris Koroly and Ricky Gongora, and left a third person permanently disabled.
The surviving passenger who sustained a severe brain injury has been in a coma for four months and now faces significant health challenges, requiring constant medical attention and assistance. The trauma has left the individual with a reduced mental capacity and the inability to walk without aid.
Roelofs, who has strong ties to Ohio and Michigan, has been reported to have had his attorneys, Deborah Barra and Glen Lansky, withdraw from his case after he failed to appear for the court date. The U.S. Marshals Service has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the ex-deputy’s whereabouts.
The case has sparked public concern about police accountability and the legal system’s ability to bring justice to victims of such grave crimes. Roelofs’ evasion of justice adds to the complexity of the case, as he remains at large and faces potential life imprisonment if he is eventually apprehended.
As law enforcement continues its search, the community awaits the resolution of this case, which has already had a lasting impact on the lives of those involved. The public is closely monitoring developments, hoping for the arrest of Roelofs so that he can face the full consequences of his actions.