Miami-Dade deputy injured on Florida’s Turnpike appears at arraignment of driver charged with DUI

Deputy attends court appearance nearly two months after being struck while assisting at crash scene

A Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy who was seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle on Florida’s Turnpike appeared in court Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, as the driver accused in the case was formally arraigned on DUI-related and traffic charges.

The deputy, Leo Cantave, arrived in a wheelchair with his arm in a sling and was accompanied by more than a dozen fellow deputies. The hearing marked a public milestone in a case that began with a Turnpike incident on Dec. 27, 2025, when Cantave stopped to assist at the scene of an earlier crash involving the Florida Highway Patrol.

Charges and court developments

The defendant, 28-year-old Lonnel Brinson, was arraigned on charges that include DUI with serious bodily injury and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury. Additional counts cited in court records and reporting include driving while knowingly suspended and driving without a valid license or with a suspended license causing serious bodily injury.

Brinson appeared remotely and entered a not-guilty plea. The court proceedings also addressed an outstanding bench warrant related to a traffic citation, with instructions that he surrender himself on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.

What investigators say happened on Dec. 27, 2025

The crash occurred on Florida’s Turnpike in Northwest Miami-Dade during morning hours, as law enforcement vehicles were present with emergency lights while responders managed an earlier incident. Investigators said Cantave was on foot assisting at the scene when a passing vehicle struck him.

Authorities reported that the driver involved remained at the scene. In an arrest account cited in contemporaneous reporting, the driver admitted to consuming alcohol and marijuana before the collision and told law enforcement there was marijuana and a firearm in the vehicle. Investigators also documented a history of license suspensions tied to unpaid traffic fines, including a suspension earlier in December 2025.

• Date of incident: Dec. 27, 2025

• Location: Florida’s Turnpike in Northwest Miami-Dade, near the area where responders were managing an earlier crash

• Injury status: Cantave was initially reported in critical condition, underwent surgery, and later was released from the hospital in February 2026

Injury and recovery

Cantave’s injuries were described as critical immediately after the collision, and he underwent surgery. Updates in subsequent weeks indicated he was awake and alert during recovery. By early February 2026, he was reported to have been released from the hospital, though officials indicated he still faced a prolonged period of rehabilitation and therapy.

The case will proceed through the court system following the not-guilty plea, while the deputy continues recovery from injuries sustained in the Dec. 27, 2025 crash.