Father of Bradenton hit-and-run suspect taken into custody; victim identified.

Jose Torres, 59, faces charges as an accessory after the fact, a felony, for allegedly aiding his son in avoiding arrest following a fatal crash. Detectives claim Jose Torres was aware that his son had committed a crime and assisted him in fleeing the scene.

The tragic incident occurred on January 18 in the 1300 block of 15th St. W. Around 11:30 p.m., a black Infinity sedan, driven at a high speed northbound on 15th St. W, lost control and crashed into a pole, subsequently hitting 26-year-old Clarence Brooks, who was either sitting or sleeping on the grass near the sidewalk.

Following the crash, the driver exited the vehicle and fled before police arrived, leaving Brooks fatally injured at the scene. Investigative efforts revealed that the vehicle’s owner was indeed the one driving during the incident.

Julio Torres, 28, from Bradenton, has been charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in death, and driving with a suspended license.

An arrest warrant for Julio Torres was issued by the Bradenton Police Department (BPD) on Sunday.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Bradenton Police Department at 941-932-9300. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers at manateecrimestoppers.com, with the possibility of receiving a reward of up to $3,000.

Key Information

• Suspect: Jose Torres, 59, charged as an accessory after the fact.
• Related Suspect: Julio Torres, 28, charged with vehicular homicide and other offenses.
• Incident Date: January 18, around 11:30 p.m.
• Location: 1300 block of 15th St. W.
• Victim: Clarence Brooks, 26, died at the scene.
• Reward: Up to $3,000 for information leading to an arrest.
• Contact: Bradenton Police Department, 941-932-9300 or Crime Stoppers at manateecrimestoppers.com.