Florida Poker pro Bradley Ruben was charged in Broward County with failure to remain at the scene of a crash and resisting arrest after allegedly crashing into and killing a man who was assisting his wife who had been involved in a separate accident.
Ruben told police he had taken a marijuana-laced edible prior to the crash. He wasn’t charged with DUI, although he admitted the edible affected his driving, but did submit a blood draw after being arrested.
The poker pro appeared in court on Thursday and was ordered to pay a $100,000 bond or remain in jail until trial. His attorney told the judge that amount is “incredibly excessive” given the charges he faces. His lawyer also argued this isn’t a “typical fleeing case,” and that bond should be lowered since he was apprehended shortly after fleeing the scene.
What Happened?
According to the police report, Aleshandra Favre was involved in an earlier accident on Interstate 95 and had called a tow truck and her husband, Juan Pedro Garcia, for assistance. After the husband arrived, Ruben crashed into the back of his car causing serious injury. He was rushed to North Broward Hospital where he later died.
The tow truck driver told police the suspect only stuck around for moments before running away from the scene. A Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputy tracked him down about a quarter-mile from the accident. The deputy said Ruben was initially irate and combative, resisting arrest, before being taken into custody.
After being interviewed by investigators, he admitted the marijuana-laced edible affected his driving. A county prosecutor argued in bond court that Ruben is a flight risk given his behavior immediately following the accident.
“The witness did state that the defendant crashed and then ran,” the prosecutor told the judge. “He continued to run southbound on foot. He didn’t walk away casually.”
The prosecutor argued that since the accident took place on a major interstate, it would have been difficult for the defendant to get far on foot and, therefore, she felt the judge should consider Ruben a flight risk even though he only escaped a short distance.
Skilled Poker Player
Ruben is a successful poker player with 15 WSOP cashes, including six in 2017. He has $368,000 in lifetime live tournament winnings. He earned his biggest score ever last year when he finished 3rd in WSOP Event #69, $1,500 Razz, for $55,958.
The Florida poker pro made it to Day Four in the 2013 WSOP Main Event and was eliminated in 501st place.
According to Ruben’s LinkedIn page, he is also a licensed ReMax real estate agent.
Those careers may be on hold while he handles a more pressing issue and could face additional charges.
