Oneil Cruz Facing DUI Charges After Crash Kills 3 (UPDATED 9/25/20)

UPDATE 9/25/20 2:45 P.M.: Dionisio Soldevila of Periódico Hoy, who’s been covering things on the Dominican side, is reporting that after a technical delay, the Special Traffic Court of the Peace of the Peravia province has ordered Cruz to pay two million Dominican dollars (US $34,000) bail. He is still facing trial and could receive up to five years in jail. No word on when the trial will take place.

UPDATE 5:45 P.M.: Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports via Twitter that Cruz’s hearing has been postponed until Friday, September twenty-fifth, so his lawyers can better prepare their arguments.

Pirates minor leaguer/high prospect Oneil Cruz faces a hearing this morning in his native Dominican Republic after being involved in a collision with a motorcycle early Monday morning. All three people on the bike were killed.

Per various sources, local police say that Cruz had been drinking alcohol before the crash occurred. Cruz has been in police custody since the incident.

Dominican national newspaper Diario Libre states that Cruz, 21, was driving his Jeep Cherokee eastbound on Sanchez Highway in the city of Baní, Peravia province around one a.m. on Monday morning. The motorcycle was traveling in the same direction ahead of him but did not have any lights on. Cruz ran into the bike from behind.

The Dominican Republic currently has a seven p.m. curfew in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cruz will have a virtual hearing before the Special Traffic Court of the Peace of the Peravia province today to determine if he should be indicted for the incident. Under Dominican Republic law, if indicted, then convicted, he could receive up to three years in jail.

Cruz’s agent, Rafa Nieves, stated that Cruz was unhurt in the collision and is cooperating with authorities.

Cruz, the Pirates’ third highest prospect, spent this season at the Altoona satellite camp, which disbanded last week.

This story will be updated as more details come in.