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Prosecutor: Pittsburgh Pirates prospect, 21, under influence of alcohol during crash that killed 3

MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates No. 3 prospect and Gigantes del Cibao shortstop, Oneil Cruz Ureña, was under the influence of alcohol when he hit a motorcycle on Monday night in an crash that killed three people, according to authorities in the Dominican Republic.

Cruz, 21, was arrested at the scene and is currently in police custody at the prosecutor's office in the Peravia province.

The prosecution presented a formal accusation against Cruz and requested a hearing for Wednesday. But after a request from Cruz's lawyers and the prosecution for more time to present their arguments, the judge postponed the hearing until Friday.

According to the report from the Department of Transit Safety and Ground Transportation, or DIGESETT, by its Spanish acronym, Cruz was driving east on Sanchez highway between Baní and San Cristóbal, near the community of Los Mercaditos de Paya in Bani, when he struck a motorcycle in front of him with three people aboard.

According to the report, the motorcycle had no lights of any kind.

Additionally, the prosecutor confirmed in a report that both Cruz and the three people on the motorcycle were traveling past the hour of the curfew established by the government of the Dominican Republic in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Should formal charges be brought against Cruz by the prosecutors, and should he be found responsible for the accident, Cruz would be subject to a sentence of up to three years in prison and a substantial fine.

The Pirates on Tuesday issued a statement.

"The Pirates are aware of the tragic accident in the Dominican Republic involving Oneil Cruz," Pirates senior vice president of communications Brian Warecki said. "We have been in contact with Oneil and he is cooperating fully with the local authorities. We will provide an update as more information becomes available."

Cruz is ranked as the No. 29 overall MLB prospect by ESPN's Kiley McDaniel.

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