Family grieves 19-year-old FIU student after Miami-Dade crash police say involved drunk driver

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Gabriela Alejandra Rios Flores was 19 years old when she died during a crash on Friday morning that police say involved a drunk driver along the MacArthur Causeway.

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Rios Flores was a Florida International University student majoring in communications after graduating from the Escuela Interamericana in El Salvador.

Rios Flores’s green Jeep Wrangler had broken down, and a police officer had helped her move it away from traffic and to the shoulder along the westbound lanes, police said.

Nicholas Devin Robinson was driving a silver Polestar 2 at about 100 mph after he had been celebrating his birthday from Thursday to early Friday morning, police said.

According to the arrest report, Robinson, 24, slurred his speech and reeked of alcohol after he hit a median and slammed into the Jeep, which flipped onto the eastbound lanes.

The collision’s impact ejected Rios Flores who later died at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

Inmate records show Robinson was at the Metrowest Detention Center on Wednesday facing charges in two pending cases and two warrant cases with a hold for magistrate.

Court records show prosecutors filed two new cases on Tuesday for vehicular homicide in a reckless manner, reckless driving causing bodily injury, and DUI with serious bodily injury.

Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.


About the Authors
Annaliese Garcia headshot

Annaliese Garcia joined Local 10 News in January 2020. Born and raised in Miami, she graduated from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism. She began her career at Univision. Before arriving at Local 10, she was with NBC2 (WBBH-TV) covering Southwest Florida. She's glad to be back in Miami!

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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