TAMPA, Fla. — Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, a 32-year-old from Honduras, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the 2022 death of Pinellas County Deputy Michael Hartwick. On September 22, 2022, Molina-Salles struck and killed Hartwick with a front-end loader while working at a construction site near I-275 and Roosevelt Boulevard. Hartwick, who was assisting with traffic control during an off-duty assignment, died instantly.
After the incident, Molina-Salles fled the scene, handing his vest and helmet to another worker instead of aiding the deputy or calling 911. Following his guilty plea, the judge imposed a 12-year sentence on Tuesday, with a maximum penalty of 20 years possible and a minimum of four. Molina-Salles received two and a half years credit for time already served.
