The Atlanta Braves surrendered one of their former minor league prospects, who reportedly fled the scene of a deadly crash that killed a father of four on a Florida highway after the team spotted his car at their facility.
Jonathan Matos Morales, 18, was driving his black 2022 Ford Mustang along I-75 in Manatee County Monday morning when he collided with a Chevy Trailblazer traveling in the center lane, the Florida Highway Safety Patrol said. told Fox 13.
The impact pushed the Chevy into the right lane, where it was struck by a semi-truck, which then swerved, overturned and came to rest on its side.
Police say Morales stopped shortly after the collision and then fled south.
The semi driver, Owen Facey, 34, a father of four, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the SUV, a 63-year-old man from Palmetto, suffered minor injuries, the FHP said.
Before the fatal crash, Morales’ Mustang was reportedly observed “weaving in and out of traffic,” Trooper Ken Watson told the outlet, adding that the truck driver never had a chance to stop in time after the Trailblazer was pushed into his lane.
“If they’re driving such a high-profile vehicle, early in the morning and with a full load, obviously they can’t stop on a dime,” Watson said.
Morales was tracked down later that day after Braves officials recognized his Mustang in the parking lot of the team’s spring training facility, CoolToday Park.
“The Atlanta Braves organization contacted the Florida Highway Patrol and advised that they may have found that vehicle in their complex. They indicated that they were 99.9% certain that they had the vehicle,” Watson said.
“We immediately dispatched troopers to the scene, contacted Braves legal staff and were able to determine that this was indeed the vehicle we were looking for, and were then immediately able to arrest our suspected driver.”
Following his arrest, the Braves acknowledged that Morales was “previously signed” with the team’s minor league system.
“Our organization is fully cooperating with authorities and will have no further comment at this time. Our condolences go out to the loved ones of everyone involved,” Fox 13’s statement said.
The 18-year-old catcher is being held in the Manatee County Jail after he was arrested late Monday on charges of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
At his first appearance Tuesday, Morales was given a $200,000 bond, ordered to supervised release and told to surrender his passport if released on bail, Fox 13 reported.
His attorney pushed for a lower bail of $50,000, arguing that Morales earns very little income in the baseball farm system, has “zero criminal history” and has been a U.S. citizen since he was about 10 years old after emigrating from Puerto Rico.
However, prosecutors have pushed back, pointing to a charge Morales received in October for driving 80 mph in a 50 mph zone in Charlotte County and an alleged comment he made suggesting he could be a flight risk if released on bail.
The crash is still under investigation.
The Braves signed Morales – an infectious prospect – to a minor league contract on July 23, 2025, assigning him to the FCL Braves the next day and activating him on August 4 before sending him to Cangrejeros de Santurce, a professional team in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Facey is remembered by his family as a hero for keeping his truck from plowing into the Trailblazer.
“He tried to save the vehicle, but it rolled over,” said his mother, Judy Thomas, told Fox 13.
Thomas said her son had been driving for less than an hour and was working for the trucking company he co-owned with his cousin at the time of the accident.
“When he turned around (his cousin) called his name and no answer, he called his phone and no answer,” the heartbroken mother said.
“Part of my life is over.”
