Kriti Mehrotra
When Frank Phillips Jr. died following a tragic car accident on Highway 1 (US 1) in Pompano Beach, Florida, on September 16, 2018, his loved ones were desperate for answers. It came to light that the 64-year-old had been t-boned at the intersection of South Federal Highway and Southeast Ninth Street in the Lighthouse Point area, so the state pressed charges. As explored in A&E’s ‘Accused: Guilty or Innocent?: High Speed Driver or Tragic Accident?,’ Laszlo Banyasz never denied being involved, but he maintained it was an unfortunate mishap.
Laszlo Banyasz Was Arrested 4 Months After the Collision
While Laszlo Banyasz was born around the early 1950s in the small yet beautiful village of Zemplénagárd in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary, he has spent more than half his life in the US. After all, he emigrated in 1988 to secure a better future for himself and his family, ultimately resulting in his settling in the coastal city of Pompano Beach in Broward County, Florida. He reportedly worked as a local handyman for a few years to make ends meet before finding his calling in the same industry and setting up his own successful window repair shop.
According to records, Laszlo was returning home from work on Sunday, September 16, 2018, when his Jeep collided with a Cadillac, which flipped over three times before hitting a pole. The driver of that vehicle was soon identified as 64-year-old Frank Phillips Jr., who sadly lost his life from the severe head and body injuries he sustained in the crash. The 66-year-old Jeep driver also sustained a few wounds, but they were minor, so officials briefly took his statements at the scene before he was taken to the hospital, treated, and discharged.
Laszlo spoke to the authorities after receiving treatment, during which he indicated he was driving around the range of the speed limit and had the right of way because he had the green light. As per his statements, witness testimony, and surveillance footage, the Cadillac was making a free left turn but could not complete it because the Jeep t-boned it. The blue-collar entrepreneur was allowed to return home that day, but he was arrested roughly 4 months later as investigations uncovered he was driving in excess of the 45 mph speed limit.
Laszlo Banyasz Was Accused of Homicide Through Reckless Driving
Laszlo was charged with vehicular homicide stemming from reckless driving, leading to him being held at Broward County jail until he posted his $100,000 bail in exchange for house arrest. He abided by the stipulations of his bond for well over 4 years, until he finally stood jury trial for the charge against him in the fall of 2023 – the long delay was primarily owing to COVID-19. During the proceedings, prosecutors alleged that although he had the right of way because he indeed had a green light, he caused the collision with his reckless driving.
The prosecutors not only called a couple of eyewitnesses who testified that the Jeep was well over the speed limit as it reached the intersection, but they also presented the black box as evidence. According to expert testimony, the black box indicated that Laszlo’s Jeep was traveling between 75 and 81 mph in the 5 seconds before the crash, which was almost double the speed limit. The state further called on the lead detective to take the stand, who asserted the defendant had explicitly told him he was driving around the range of the speed limit, implying falsehood.
Following His Acquittal, Laszlo Banyasz Has Chosen to Lead a Quiet Life
On the other hand, the defense presented evidence underscoring that the Jeep’s speed was 55-60 mph in the seconds before the crash, which made it speeding rather than reckless driving. They also argued there were other potential factors involved in the collision, such as the victim likely having a blind spot while making the left turn and possibly being distracted by eating. As per Frank’s autopsy report, there was partially ingested food in his esophagus, and crime scene photos also clearly showed French Fries were scattered all over his car after the accident.
The defense further claimed that the Cadillac actually started turning left about a second before the crash, so Laszlo had no time to react either. In the end, on October 30, 2023, after 5 days of testimony and 2 hours of deliberation, the jury found the defendant not guilty of any criminality. If he was convicted as charged, he faced 9-15 years in Florida state prison. Since his acquittal, it appears the now-retired 74-year-old has chosen to lead a quiet life well away from the limelight, focusing solely on his family and his wife, Carmen Dorsett. The couple had tied the knot in Las Vegas, Nevada, in March 2018, after knowing one another for over 2 decades. The crash happened six months later, so they are now enjoying their marriage in peace in Pompano Beach.
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