Broward Sheriff’s Office Identifies Two Men Who Drowned After Deerfield Beach Lake Crash
The Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) has released the identities of two men who died Tuesday morning after their vehicle plunged into a lake in Deerfield Beach while fleeing deputies. The deceased have been identified as 22-year-old Weekenley Felix and 20-year-old Ashly Rozier. A third occupant of the vehicle, identified as 21-year-old Pledidson Jeansam Philibert, managed to escape the sinking SUV and swam to shore, where he was immediately taken into custody.
The incident began shortly before 4 a.m. when BSO deputies responded to 911 calls reporting multiple individuals burglarizing unoccupied vehicles in the 700 block of Deer Creek Emerald Way West. According to investigators, when deputies arrived at the scene, the driver of the suspect vehicle sped away. The car traveled approximately half a mile before crashing into a lake near the intersection of Lakeside Way and Lakeside Drive.
While Philibert was able to exit the vehicle, Felix and Rozier were unable to escape. A responding deputy attempted to enter the water to rescue the remaining occupants but was unsuccessful due to the conditions. The BSO Dive Team, along with aviation and canine units, later recovered the bodies of Felix and Rozier from the submerged vehicle.
Philibert faces multiple charges, including five counts of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and three counts of conspiracy to commit burglary. Authorities have not yet confirmed which of the three men was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. Questions remain regarding the specific route taken by the driver, as residents noted the neighborhood has limited exits, potentially contributing to the driver’s failure to navigate the dead-end road leading to the water. The investigation into the crash and the preceding alleged burglary spree is ongoing.
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