(Sumter County, FL) Late Thursday evening, jurors in the trial of 24-year-old Jasmine Daebreon Grover reached a verdict, finding Grover guilty of Driving Under the Influence Manslaughter following a fatal vehicle incident that took the life of 21-year-old Alexes Olivia Matthews. Grover was also convicted of Driving Under the Influence with Serious Bodily Injury, Driving Under the Influence Causing Injury, Driving Under the Influence with Property Damage, and Possession of Cannabis.
“What happened to Alexes wasn’t an accident. It was a choice – a conscious, selfish, irreversible choice to drive under the influence. That decision didn’t just end a life – it shattered a family,” stated Oral Matthews, father of the victim. “I’ve spent the last five years waking up every day with the same pain in my chest, trying to explain the unexplainable to her children…. You were supposed to be her friend. Friends protect each other. Friends look out for one another. But you made a choice that night. Because of that choice, my daughter is gone. Forever.”
Back on February 9, 2020, Grover, who was 19 years old at the time, was driving a vehicle with three other passengers, including the victim. Grover was under the influence at the time and lost control of the vehicle while driving on County Road 476 in Sumter. She veered off the road and onto the shoulder. In an attempt to regain control, Grover overcorrected, causing the vehicle to cross back over the road to the opposite shoulder. Ultimately, the vehicle left the roadway completely and crashed into a tree. The impact of the crash not only ejected the victim but also caused the vehicle to roll on top of her, resulting in her death.
Florida Highway Patrol conducted a thorough traffic homicide investigation, revealing that Grover was the individual behind the wheel at the time of the crash, according to the two surviving occupants. Additionally, first responders on scene indicated that Grover had bloodshot watery eyes, dilated pupils, slurred speech, and a very thick tongue – all consistent indicators she was under the influence. A substantial amount of cannabis was recovered from Grover’s waistband at the time of the accident.
A blood draw conducted on Grover revealed large quantities of both Cannabis and Etizolam, a controlled substance, in her system at the time of the deadly crash. This evidence, along with testimony from witnesses, members of the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Medical Examiner’s Office, and other fellow medical professionals, were presented during the trial.
Grover was remanded into custody following the verdict to await her sentencing hearing.
“She (Alexes) was vibrant, full of love, and had her whole future ahead of her. She had two beautiful sons, who now have to grow up without their mother. No child should ever have to ask why their mommy isn’t coming home. There are absolutely no words that can express the pain I have endured on and since February 9, 2020,” said Mercedes Matthews, sister of the victim. “I hope that when this court makes its decision, it fully considers the devastating impact of this loss. We are not just statistics or names in a report – we are real people, grieving someone we loved deeply.”
This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Joseph Church and Sonny McCathran.
Published on 05/09/2025.