Investigation clears Collier Co. deputy who stopped woman hours before deadly wrong-way I-75 crash

The Collier County Sheriff's Office said an internal investigation found no policy violations regarding a traffic stop conducted by a deputy on a woman hours before she was arrested for a deadly wrong-way DUI crash on Interstate 75.

Collier County Deputy Eric Pellegrino stopped Genise Taylor, 24, for traveling at 71 mph in a 45-mph zone along US-41 before the crash that killed Arthur Gilbert, 96, on March 18 at approximately 4:18 a.m.

CCSO said the traffic stop involving Pellegrino and Taylor was under investigation by its Professional Responsibility Bureau, and investigators determined Pellegrino "did not have probable cause or evidence to affect a lawful arrest."

During Taylor's pre-trial hearing in March, prosecutors stated Pellegrino gave Taylor a traffic citation, didn't let her drive, and allowed her friends to pick her up after the traffic stop before they went to Waffle House. According to investigators, Taylor managed to get behind the wheel again sometime after she was stopped by Pellegrino.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers testified that Taylor was driving drunk while heading the wrong way on I-75 with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit. Troopers said she eventually crashed into two vehicles, killing Arthur Gilbert and injuring another driver.

According to prosecutors, Taylor admitted during a jail call that she knew Pellegrino.

Taylor entered a not guilty plea in court in April as she faces charges of DUI manslaughter, DUI damage to person/property, vehicular homicide, and reckless driving with damage to person/property.

Arthur Gilbert's family has hired the Morgan & Morgan law firm to pursue additional justice.

The sheriff's office shared the following statement regarding the investigation:

"The Professional Responsibility Bureau has completed the internal investigation of the traffic stop involving Genise Taylor on March 18, 2026. After a thorough and complete review of evidence and interviews held in accordance with Florida Statute 112, the finding in this investigation is exonerated. There was no evidence of policy violation in this traffic stop.

"We understand that some public perception includes that the deputy had a relationship with the driver. While Taylor made multiple attempts to familiarly engage with the deputy on the traffic stop, a thorough review of body camera, in-car camera footage, and witness interviews does not support this perception that there was a relationship. During some previous shifts, the deputy had been assigned to patrol a large-scale retail complex where Taylor was employed; however, the deputy had never interacted with her beyond acknowledging her presence as staff of the establishment.

"Also considered in the investigation was the audio from the deputy that indicates he verbalized to the driver that he thought she was impaired. The deputy, under oath, indicated to the investigator that even after conducting standard field sobriety testing, he did not have probable cause or evidence to affect a lawful arrest. In law enforcement, probable cause is necessary to place someone under arrest, and that probable cause must be articulated by the arresting law enforcement officer.

"Further, the deputy, without probable cause for arrest, felt that the best course of action was to prohibit Taylor from getting back behind the wheel, and he had her call for friends to come to drive her and her vehicle from the traffic stop."

Taylor entered a not guilty plea in court in April as she faces charges of DUI manslaughter, DUI damage to person/property, vehicular homicide, and reckless driving with damage to person/property.

Arthur Gilbert's family has hired the Morgan & Morgan law firm to pursue additional justice.

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Investigation clears Collier Co. deputy who stopped woman hours before deadly wrong-way I-75 crash

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