The Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Accident Investigation Unit (AIU) has charged a Gainesville man with aggravated battery and multiple other offenses, including serious injury by vehicle, following a recent collision that injured two people in Clermont. Deputies say he was trying to “harm himself” at the time.
HCSO NARRATIVE:
“Deputies booked Eric Domingo Romero, 31, into the Hall County Jail on the charges Friday morning, June 12. Investigators obtained warrants shortly after the June 6 crash, but the arrest was delayed pending Romero’s release from treatment.
According to the initial AIU investigation, Romero was driving east on King Street in a 2003 Honda Pilot. The second driver, Edwin Omar Roman Suarez, 32, of Gainesville, was traveling south on U.S. 129/Cleveland Highway in a 2014 Dodge Charger. Investigators determined Romero was driving under the influence of alcohol, failed to stop at the stop sign on King Street at Cleveland Highway and intentionally drove into Suarez’s vehicle ‘in an attempt to harm himself.’ The collision happened at approximately 10:30 p.m.
Hall County Fire Rescue transported both drivers and Suarez’s passenger, Perla Olvera, 20, of Gainesville, to the hospital. Investigators classified Suarez’s injuries as minor and Olvera’s as serious. Romero was transported to the hospital for evaluation. He did not suffer physical injuries.
In addition to aggravated battery, AIU charged Romero with serious injury by vehicle and two counts of aggravated assault, all felonies. He also faces the following misdemeanor charges:
- DUI-alcohol
- Reckless driving-first offense
- Failure to stop at a stop sign
- Driver’s license within 30 days (lived in Georgia for 30 days without obtaining a Georgia license)
- No driver’s license on person
- Improper tag (failed to register an out-of-state vehicle in Georgia within 30 days)
- Tire requirements (inadequate tread depth)
Romero remains in the Hall County Jail without bond on several charges, including the felony counts and reckless driving-first offense.”