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Inset: Mikhail Cuba (Community Funeral Home). Background: The 2800 block of Wakulla Way in Orlando, Florida, where Mikhail, 17, was allegedly hit and killed by a classmate (Google Maps).
In a troubling incident from Florida, a 17-year-old is accused of deliberately running over a schoolmate with his car. The victim, who was riding a scooter at the time, was struck on a narrow street.
Elijah Emmans faces charges of first-degree murder in connection with the death of 16-year-old Mikhail Cuba, as reported by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The tragic event took place on November 20, 2025, along Wakulla Way in Orlando, a street known for being a narrow, one-lane road without sidewalks, close to a river.
Initially, the Florida Highway Patrol investigated the case as a hit-and-run and charged Emmans with vehicular manslaughter. However, surveillance footage later suggested the act was intentional, prompting law enforcement to reconsider the charges.
Subsequently, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office stepped in, upgrading the charge against Emmans to first-degree murder. He was apprehended on Friday and is currently held in a juvenile detention center.
Family members of Mikhail Cuba have revealed that Emmans had a history of bullying him at school, adding to the distressing nature of the case.
Mikhail’s grandmother, Ectasy Mooty, told local Fox affiliate WOFL that Emmans was among a group of school bullies that made his life so miserable he had to leave and be homeschooled.
Mooty called her grandson’s alleged killer a “really sick, sick individual.”
“That’s not even a person,” she said in an interview with the TV station. “I wouldn’t even classify that as an animal.”
Mikhail’s death wasn’t the only tragedy for the family. In the months after his death, Mikhail’s mother died of an accidental overdose, Mooty said.
“Being without your child — who was just a child with so much promise — it just broke her heart and she died in her sleep,” Mooty told the outlet.
Now Mooty is making sure she gets justice for her grandson.
“They’re cowards because they did it from behind. He didn’t see them coming,” said Mooty, per WOFL. “But they’re going to see me coming. They’re going to see me every day in court, and I hope it haunts them.”
Mikhail’s obituary called him a “young man of remarkable kindness, intelligence, and generosity.”
“He was quiet and serious, yet his playful and silly side shone through for those he loved,” the obituary said. “He was always willing to go the extra mile for his family and friends. No matter the distance, you could always count on him being there for you.”
Emmans remains in the juvenile detention facility. It’s unclear when he is next slated to appear in court.