Connecticut man arrested in SWFL connected to double fatal hit-and-run pleads guilty
About a year after a man accused of killing two pedestrians fled to Marco Island, he pleaded guilty in Connecticut.
Michael Talbot, 25, of Greenwich, Connecticut, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of first-degree manslaughter; one count of evading death responsibility; one count of driving under the influence; and one count of reckless driving.
Talbot is accused of killing Yuliana Arias-Lozano and Giovani Vega-Benis, both 25.
The sheriff's office said a getaway wasn't in the cards for Talbot, who they arrested Jan. 5 while playing bingo with family members on Marco Island.
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According to Talbot's arrest warrant, previously shared by a liaison of the victims' families, shortly after 2 a.m. Dec. 3, 2022, Stamford, Connecticut, police said Talbot fled in his car after he struck Vega-Benis and Arias-Lozano.
Vega-Benis was born in the U.S., while Arias-Lozano had been stateside for eight months. They had both just finished their shifts at Cantina Mexicana, a Mexican restaurant near the crash site.
Vega-Benis was walking Arias-Lozano to her apartment.
Investigation into Michael Talbot's crash
After Talbot struck both, he fled on foot, police said.
University of Connecticut Police alerted Samford Police that a man matching Talbot's description was running through the parking lot, jumping a fence.
Officers, who saw Talbot hiding between a fence and a garage in a nearby backyard, arrested him, adding he appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. His hands were covered in dry blood, authorities noted. As officers arrested him, Talbot began to cry.
Talbot told officers that between Dec. 2, 2022, and the following day he drank alcohol, smoked marijuana and drove to several places, where he said he drank with friends.
Investigators determined Talbot never applied the brakes after he struck Vega-Benis and Arias-Lozano. Both died at Stamford Hospital shortly before 3:45 a.m. Dec. 3, 2022.
Investigation reveals speed data
Stamford Police determined that just before Talbot struck Vega-Benis and Arias-Lozano he was traveling between 84 and 86 mph, according to data collected from his car. The speed limit in the area is 25 mph, according to the report.
What's Michael Talbot's connection to Southwest Florida?
Talbot's grandparents, Mary and William Dineno, moved to Marco Island after retirement and now live in Naples, records show.
Deputies arrested Talbot while he played bingo with family members at San Marco Catholic Church, 851 San Marco Road, on Marco Island.
What's next in Michael Talbot's case?
Talbot is scheduled for sentencing March 20.
He's remained in custody since his Collier County arrest and has been held at Bridgeport Correctional Center, in Connecticut.
Talbot faces between 10 and 15 years in prison.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Connecticut man detained in SWFL pleads guilty to Stamford fatal crash
