February 15, 2009
DUI manslaughter charges follow death in Tampa nightclub parking lot
TAMPA -- A man driving an SUV struck and killed a pedestrian outside a Tampa nightclub early this morning, according to a Tampa police report.

The driver, Alex Perez-Escalante, 18, has been charged with DUI manslaughter,leaving the scene of a crash with death and not having a valid driver's license. He remained at the Orient Road jail today without a set bail.

Jail records list Perez-Escalante as a Mexican national with no known local address.

The identity of the victim has not been released by Tampa police.

According to an arrest report, Perez-Escalante was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe about 3:15 a.m. in the parking lot of the Palladium nightclub at 5305 N Armenia Ave. An unknown individual threw a glass at Perez-Escalante's vehicle and he accelerated as he drove, the report said.

Perez-Escalante lost control and hit the pedestrian, police said. He then fled the scene, heading southbound along Armenia.

Officers located Perez-Escalante a few blocks away.

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

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