Woman charged in deadly wrong-way crash on Florida Turnpike in Broward sentenced to 20 years behind bars
The Hialeah woman responsible for killing an aspiring Miami-Dade firefighter in a wrong-way crash on the Florida Turnpike in Miramar last year has been sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday afternoon, bringing an emotional chapter to a close for the victim's family while renewing calls for tougher penalties in similar cases.
Sunshine Perez, 45, appeared emotional in Friday's sentencing hearing, sobbing for nearly half an hour through her address to the judge. Perez plead guilty earlier this year to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the death of 23-year-old Zeke Urrutia, who was killed in January 2025 when Perez drove several miles in the wrong direction before crashing into his car.
In addition to the prison term, Perez was ordered to serve 10 years of probation after her release and will permanently lose her driver's license.
Before learning her sentence, Perez addressed the court and the Urrutia family in a lengthy, emotional apology.
"Again, I struggle with knowing that my two hands caused so much trouble to a family. I mean, come on with a name like Sunshine, you expect that to be a happy, bubbly person which I typically am, but now it's like a rain cloud over this family and anyone who knew him," Perez said through tears.
Her remarks, however, did little to ease the pain of the victim's relatives, who described the apology as a series of excuses and urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence allowed by law.
Urrutia's family testified that they wanted the maximum sentence for Perez
Urrutia's father, Frank Urrutia, remembered his son as a disciplined young man, an athlete and an aspiring firefighter whose life was cut short in an instant.
"In a single moment, Sunshine Perez put an end to everything," he told the court. "Absolutely no words can describe when two Florida Highway Patrol detectives came to our front door."
His sister, Alexis Urrutia, spoke about the milestones her brother will never experience.
"I will never watch him get married," she said through tears.
The victim's mother and sister both emphasized that Perez was an experienced adult who understood the dangers of impaired driving, asking the judge to hand down the harshest sentence possible.
"I should be daydreaming about a wedding and grandchildren, those beautiful babies I was supposed to hold, love, and spoil. I was supposed to watch my son build a life he worked so hard to earn," Urrutia's mother, Tiffany, said.
Urrutia was a young paramedic who hoped to become a firefighter.
"Instead, I watched the local news and saw my son's body in a bag next to his mangled vehicle. That's what Sunshine Perez took from us," Tiffany Urrutia said.
According to court records, the fatal collision was Perez's fifth crash in nearly three decades. Investigators said toxicology tests showed she had alcohol, methamphetamine and oxycodone in her system. Authorities also determined she drove westbound in the eastbound lanes of Florida's Turnpike for approximately three miles, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph before crashing into Urrutia's vehicle.
Although the family had hoped for the maximum sentence, they said the judge's decision provides some measure of justice.
"My family can go home tonight knowing that one less danger exists on the streets of South Florida," Alexis Urrutia said after the hearing.
Frank Urrutia said he hopes others learn from his son's death.
"If you want to have a few drinks and enjoy a game, and you feel intoxicated, stay on someone's couch, stay at home. Don't get in a car and drive," he said.
Urrutia's mother, Tiffany, said she was satisfied with the outcome, even though she wished Perez had received a longer sentence.
"Would I want her there longer? Absolutely," she said. "But that's the way the law is written right now."
The Urrutia family says it now plans to advocate for stronger legislation aimed at increasing penalties for drivers who cause deadly wrong-way crashes while impaired.