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Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Agelu Iosia Nunu, 23, of Lake Butler, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for allegedly killing a Gainesville woman in an October 2023 head-on crash on State Road 121.
At about 6:15 a.m. on October 28, 2023, Nunu was reportedly driving a Toyota Corolla northbound on SR 121, approaching NW 177th Avenue, and Sonya Rebecca Lindee of Gainesville was driving a Honda Civic southbound on SR 121. A Florida Highway Patrol investigation determined that in heavy fog, the Corolla crossed the centerline and southbound lane, with the driver’s side tires exiting the roadway on the west shoulder. Nunu reportedly overcorrected and entered the northbound lane before steering left again and entering the southbound lane. For an unknown reason, the Civic also left the roadway onto the west shoulder at the same time Nunu crossed into the southbound lane, and the left front of the Corolla collided with the left front of the Honda in the southbound lane. Lindee was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Witnesses reported that Nunu was found in the driver’s seat of the Corolla immediately after the crash and said the fog was so dense that they didn’t even realize Lindee’s car was in the ditch a few feet away until Alachua County Fire Rescue arrived. Witnesses also reported smelling alcohol on Nunu’s breath after helping him out of his car and said his speech was slurred.
A blood test reportedly showed that Nunu had a blood alcohol level of 0.106 g/dL.
At the time of the accident, Nunu had a suspended license and was on pre-trial release with a prohibition against drinking alcohol. According to the arrest report, Nunu received a traffic citation in Georgia in 2021 and failed to appear at the mandatory hearing, resulting in a suspended license. While driving with the suspended license, Nunu was arrested on a drug charge and issued citations for driving without a valid license and having an open container in the vehicle. He was later released with the stipulation of no alcohol or drugs.
Nunu has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving without a valid license after a previous conviction. He has juvenile convictions between 2017 and 2019 and one adult misdemeanor conviction (non-violent). Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $525,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.