19-Year-Old Drunk Teen Driver Allegedly Killed Toddler & Dragged His Body While His Parents Watched
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A 19-year-old man has been charged with DUI manslaughter after allegedly running over a 2-year-old boy and dragging him along with his tricycle in a gated Florida community as the child’s horrified family watched, authorities said.
According to details from an affidavit obtained by ClickOrlando, Joshua Montero “appeared to drag the child and the bicycle” several feet before his truck came to a stop.
The tragic incident occurred on Labor Day, as the child’s parents stood in their driveway, watching their children ride bikes in the street in front of their house. The child’s mother said she and her husband saw the speeding truck heading toward the cul-de-sac and began shouting for the driver to slow down, according to the affidavit.
Tavares Police responded to a call at around 7:15 p.m. on Monday in the Oak Bend neighborhood after reports that a boy had been hit by a truck. “Our hearts are saddened at the loss of this innocent boy’s life in something that was easily preventable,” police said in a statement.
Upon arrival, officers detected the smell of alcohol from Montero, the vehicle’s owner. According to the police, Montero exhibited “several indicators that he was possibly under the influence of alcohol.” Initially, the 19-year-old refused sobriety tests, but after officers warned him of arrest based on their observations, he eventually agreed. A breathalyzer test later confirmed he was under the influence, with breath samples of .062 and .057, which are over the legal limit for someone under 21.
The child was rushed to AdventHealth Waterman Hospital but tragically did not survive his injuries. The accident occurred on a “dead-end street where families felt safe for their children to play under supervision,” police noted. Witnesses reported that Montero’s truck was speeding and driving recklessly within the neighborhood before the accident.
In the affidavit, officers further described Montero as having bloodshot, glassy eyes and only wearing swim trunks. Witnesses also told police that the front tires of the truck appeared to have completely run over the boy. Montero is now facing charges of DUI manslaughter for the preventable tragedy that left a community grieving the loss of a young life.
