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Deltona man sentenced for fatal stabbing of coworker on I-4

Deltona man sentenced for fatal stabbing of coworker on I-4 Christopher Sanchez-Roman, 36, sentenced to 30 years in Florida State Prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Deltona man is headed to prison for the fatal stabbing of a coworker nearly three years ago.

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Just before 9:30 p.m. on August 14, 2020, Volusia County Deputies were called to the RaceTrac gas station on Howland Blvd. where they found two men with stab wounds.

One of the victims, identified as 30-year-old Yoni Cipriano-Cruz, was not breathing when deputies arrived at the scene and later died at the hospital. The second victim was treated for multiple stab wounds to his upper body and survived.

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Investigators learned the victims were coworkers who were traveling back to Volusia County in a van with two other men after completing a job in Tampa.

According to the sheriff’s office, the four men stopped and bought beer to drink on the ride home, and several empty beer cans were found in the van.

As the group entered Volusia County on I-4, deputies say Christopher Sanchez-Roman, who was seated behind the driver, became angry because he felt he was “being made fun of” by the others.

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Investigators say Sanchez-Roman grabbed a knife from the pocket behind the seat and stabbed Cipriano-Cruz, who was in the front-passenger seat.

Cipriano-Cruz was stabbed in the neck and arm before Sanchez-Roman turned the knife on the other victim who was in the back seat with him. The driver then pulled into the RaceTrac and called for help.

Sanchez-Roman was immediately arrested.

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He pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and attempted murder.

Sanchez-Roman, now 36-years-old, was sentenced Friday to 30 years in Florida State prison.

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