On November 10, at approximately 1 a.m., Jose Vasquez Jr, 22, became involved in a physical altercation with another adult male in the parking lot of Brandon Crossroads Bowl, located at 609 Crater Lane.
During the course of the fight, the victim hit his head on the pavement at least twice, according to witnesses. When onlookers attempted to intervene and pick up the victim, describing him as being “out of it,” they said Vasquez again intentionally struck the victim in the face with his fist, causing the victim to fall to the pavement and strike his head again.
When deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrived to the scene, Vasquez provided them with a false name and fled the scene. The victim was transported to Tampa General Hospital in critical condition. On Saturday, November 16, the victim died from his injuries at TGH.
An autopsy completed by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday, November 18, determined the manner of death to be homicide due to blunt impact to the head.
Deputies located and arrested Vasquez on November 13, charging him with felony battery, providing a false name to law enforcement and arrest on a felony warrant (felon in possession of a firearm). On Monday, Vasquez’s charges were upgraded to felony manslaughter.
He is currently being held at Falkenburg Road Jail without bond.
