Photo: GoFundMe (4)
A Florida man has been charged with five counts of vehicular homicide after authorities say he drove the wrong way on an expressway, causing a crash that killed five people in another vehicle.
Troopers say that there were four women and one man inside the Honda, ranging from 18 to 25. All five of them were killed.
TheMiami Heraldreports that Simeon has not had a valid driver’s license since 2014, when he was arrested for driving 109 miles per hour. PEOPLE confirms that his Florida license was revoked and has not been reinstated.
Bond has not been set for Simeon. He has not yet entered a plea and it unclear whether he has an attorney authorized to speak on his behalf.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
While authorities pursue charges against Simeon, the families of the victims are mourning the loss of five young adults.
Here’s what we know about the victims:
GoFundMe
Briana Pacalagua, 19
Briana Pacalagua, a recent graduate of Felix Varela High School, was driving the Honda at the time of the crash.
“I wish I told her I loved her more often. I wish I hugged her more,” her sister, Kiara Pacalagua, toldNBC Miami. “She was a really hard worker. She was always supportive of everything I wanted to do.”
She echoed those sentiments on a fundraising page.
Daniela Marcano, 19
Marcano had just celebrated her 19th birthday a few weeks ago.
“Every one of us have a bunch of good memories with her and we will cherish those moments like if it was today,” her family friend Mariana Rave writes on aGoFundMe. “She had many goals and dreams that now she won’t be able to achieve them. We still can’t believe what happened. She was young, and now she’s gone. We all miss you, Dani. Fly high, our angel.”
Valeria Peña
A music lover with a bubbly sense of humor, Peña was known for being a loyal friend.
“I saw how you were formed from the womb of your mother,” family friend Ysmalia Urbaez wrote on Instagram, according to the Miami Herald. “I went to your birth and saw every growth in your life and do not understand the whys of fate… you will remain present in my mind and heart beautiful heavenly princess.”
Valeria Cáceres
Cáceres hoped to someday become a photographer and wanted to travel the world.
Giancarlo Arias
A self-taught artist, Arias had been accepted to New York University. He had received a scholarship, which is why the group was celebrating that night.
Arias maintained anInstagram accountthat showcased his work.
According to theMiami Herald, his work had been showcased in the Student Art Exhibit at The Dalí (Salvador Dalí Museum) in St. Petersburg. The paper reported that he also won four Gold Keys, a top honor in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
“Gian, I never got to tell you how proud I was of you,” a former art teacher wrote on Instagram. “You were such a talented role model and a beautiful soul. In my 21 years of teaching, this is the first time I’ve ever felt such a loss.”
source: people.com
