Victim’s Car Engulfed In Flames. No Escape.
BOYNTON BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Bradenton man is heading to prison for more than a decade following a horrific drunk driving crash in 2024 that left a Boynton Beach man dead. Daniel Albarran Borja, 38, accepted a state-negotiated plea deal on Tuesday for his role in the fatal collision. A judge sentenced Borja to 10.5 years in the Department of Corrections, followed by one year of probation and a permanent revocation of his driver’s license.
The sentencing comes more than a year after the late-night tragedy unfolded on Southern Boulevard. On October 11, 2024, 32-year-old Jason Bartley was sitting at a red light at the intersection of Benoist Farms Road in his Cadillac XTS. According to PBSO investigators, Bartley had just begun to accelerate as the light turned green when he was slammed from behind by Borja’s Chevy 3500HD pickup truck.
The force of the impact was so violent that it propelled Bartley’s car into a concrete wall. The crash caused the Cadillac’s fuel tank to rupture, quickly engulfing the vehicle in flames. Bartley could not be extricated from the burning car and was pronounced dead at the scene by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. While Borja’s truck continued eastbound before coming to a stop, he suffered only minor injuries in the wreck.
At the scene, investigators noted that Borja showed clear signs of impairment, and preliminary blood tests later confirmed he had been consuming alcohol. Authorities also determined that Borja did not have a valid driver’s license at the time of the fatality. He was subsequently charged with DUI manslaughter and operating a vehicle without a valid license causing death.
