A 19-year-old is being charged with DUI manslaughter after allegedly running over a 2-year-old and dragging him and his tricycle in a gated Florida community Monday as his horrified family watched, authorities said.
According to harrowing details from the affidavit obtained by ClickOrlando, Joshua Montero “appeared to drag the child and the bicycle” a few feet before the truck came to a halt.
The tot’s mother said she and her husband were standing in their driveway as their children were riding their bikes in the street in front of their house on the Labor Day holiday when she heard and saw the speeding truck, ClickOrlando said of the affidavit.
She and her husband began to yell at the driver to slow down when the truck continued toward the cul-de-sac, according to the affidavit.
The Tavares Police Department responded to a call Monday around 7:15 p.m. in the Oak Bend neighborhood to reports that a boy had been hit by a truck, police said in a statement.
“Our hearts are saddened at the loss of this innocent boy’s life in something that was easily preventable,” police said.
Police said they detected an odor of alcohol from the vehicle’s owner, Montero, as they stood with him while neighbors gave the child emergency medical care. They added that Monteo “presented several indicators that he was possibly under the influence of alcohol,” police said.
At first, the 19-year-old refused to undertake sobriety exercises but then agreed after an officer said he’d be arrested “based on the indicators officers observed,” ClickOrlando reported. He was deemed under the influence of alcohol, which was later confirmed by a breathalyzer test, according to the statement.
The child was transported to AdventHealth Waterman, but did not survive his injuries, police said.
The accident happened in a closed, gated community on a “dead-end street where families felt safe for their children to be able to play under their supervision.”
Police added that “prior to the accident, witnesses stated that the truck was traveling above the posted speed and in a careless manner within the neighborhood.”
Montero’s breath sample came back at .062 and .057, which is considered over the limit since he is underage, according to the affidavit, ClickOrlando.com reported.
Officers noted that as Montero spoke, the odor of alcohol from his breath increased, according to the affidavit cited by the outlet.
Police added in the affidavit that Montero was only wearing swim trunks and had bloodshot, glassy eyes.
A witness told police they believed the front tires of the truck completely ran over the boy, per the affidavit.
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