Monroe County

Teen Accused of Killing Brother in Florida Keys Hospitalized

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What to Know

  • Authorities say 17-year-old Daniel Weisberger fatally stabbed his 14-year-old brother and left his father hospitalized
  • The incident set off a massive search for the teen in South Florida
  • Weisberger was later hospitalized after he reportedly jumped in front of a moving car and was struck

A teen who allegedly killed his brother and stabbed his father in the Florida Keys was hospitalized after he reportedly jumped in front of a moving car Thursday evening.

Monroe County Sheriff's officials had been searching all day for 17-year-old Daniel Weisberger, who they say allegedly stabbed both his 14-year-old brother as well as his father, 43-year-old Ariel Poholek, Thursday morning at their Islamorada home.

Weisberger reportedly jumped in front of a moving car on U.S. 1 near Founders Park at Mile Marker 87 at approximately 7 p.m, sheriff's officials said. He was on the way to a hospital in Miami with severe injuries.

Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Further information was not available.

Earlier Thursday, Weisberger's 14-year-old brother was pronounced dead at the scene, while Poholek was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, where he was believed to be in critical condition.

"It was relayed to us that when the attack took place at four in the morning the older son had stabbed, slashed, butchered the young son, the father had come in to see what was going on, he was also attacked," Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said. "The father says he was held hostage in that room for approximately two hours while he had injuries to his neck and the son, still holding a butcher knife, would not let him leave.”

At some point, Poholek escaped and ran to a neighbor's apartment for help, while Weisberger fled the scene. Authorities haven't said what a possible motive could be for the stabbing.

Law enforcement spent all day Thursday searching for the teen in both Monroe and Miami-Dade counties. Miami-Dade Police SWAT officers even joined in the search.

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