WILLEMSTAD – A 21-year-old Venezuelan national, Neomar Amaya Morillo, has been sentenced to five years in prison for causing a fatal traffic accident on December 2, 2024, in Kaya Andruw Jones. The young man struck and killed a 68-year-old woman who was standing next to a car and then fled the scene. The victim died instantly. 

Morillo was driving without a valid driver’s license, in a car that lacked proper documentation, and was residing illegally on the island at the time of the accident. 

The judge’s ruling partially aligned with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which had called for a six-year prison sentence. The prosecutor stated that although there was no evidence of intent, Morillo had demonstrated gross negligence that led to a fatal outcome. She stressed the profound and lasting trauma experienced by the victim’s family. 

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the vehicle Morillo was operating failed to meet legal requirements and that he had no license. After the collision, he fled the scene and only reported to the police the following day after learning that the woman had died. 

Morillo’s defense attorney argued that his client fled out of fear of deportation rather than with malicious intent. The lawyer also highlighted Morillo’s young age and requested a reduction in the sentence. 

The court, however, found the circumstances serious enough to impose a five-year custodial sentence, underlining the gravity of the actions and their irreversible consequences.