Florida Woman With Suspended License Charged in Fatal Mercedes Crash, Tried to Flee
FORT LAUDERDALE – A Florida woman with a troubled driving history is now facing 14 criminal charges after she slammed her Mercedes-Benz into a car carrying four people, killing one, then attempted to discreetly walk away from the crash scene. Authorities say she later admitted she fled because her boyfriend told her to.
Beverly Yvonne Slaughter, 25, was arrested Wednesday in connection to the April 29 crash that occurred around 1 a.m. at the intersection of West Sunrise Boulevard and NW 24th Avenue. According to a probable cause affidavit, Slaughter was driving a 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class eastbound at a high rate of speed when she collided with a Nissan Altima that had the right of way with a green left-turn signal.
The impact was catastrophic. The Mercedes T-boned the Altima as it turned left across the intersection, causing significant damage and critical injuries to the passengers inside. All four occupants of the Altima were rushed to a local hospital. One of the victims was removed from life support and pronounced dead on May 2.
Slaughter did not remain at the scene. Surveillance footage reportedly shows her exiting the vehicle and attempting to flee on foot. A responding Fort Lauderdale police officer located her shortly afterward “walking extremely discreet” behind a nearby McDonald’s, the report stated. When confronted, Slaughter allegedly told the officer that she ran “because her boyfriend told her to.”
Prosecutors revealed that Slaughter had a suspended driver’s license at the time of the crash—revoked since 2021—and a long record of prior offenses, including driving without a license, DUI, fleeing law enforcement, and reckless driving in 2023. In a court motion to deny bond, prosecutors emphasized that Slaughter posed a continued threat to public safety.
“She has demonstrated a repeated disregard for the safety of others on the road,” the prosecution argued. “There are no conditions of release reasonably sufficient to protect the community from risk of physical harm.”
A Broward County judge agreed with the prosecution and ordered Slaughter held without bond in the Broward County Jail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.
The case has drawn attention to Florida’s challenges with repeat traffic offenders and the enforcement of suspended license violations. Despite multiple infractions, Slaughter remained behind the wheel, this time resulting in deadly consequences.
Police have not released the name of the victim who died, but confirmed she had been critically injured in the crash and succumbed days later after being taken off life support. Two other victims remain in recovery from serious injuries.
Among the charges Slaughter now faces are vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, and driving with a suspended license causing death. If convicted on the most serious charges, she could face decades in prison.
The incident has renewed calls for stricter monitoring and penalties for those driving with suspended or revoked licenses, especially individuals with a history of reckless or intoxicated driving.
As the investigation continues, authorities are also looking into whether Slaughter’s boyfriend could face charges for his alleged role in advising her to flee the scene.
This case serves as a grim reminder of the consequences of irresponsible driving—and the human toll that can result when accountability is delayed.
