Footage Revealed Showing Moments Before Wrong-Way Crash That Killed Student Headed Home From Wedding
Lauryn Akey was “ejected” from her car around 1 a.m. on May 17 following the crash, police say
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Lauryn Akey; Footage of moments before the crash.Credit : altogetherfuneral.com; Florida Highway Patrol
NEED TO KNOW
Lauryn Akey, 21, was killed in a wrong-way crash while returning home from a wedding in Florida
Dennis Olson, 53, allegedly had a blood alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit at the time of the crash
Akey’s family remembers her adventurous spirit and encourages others to “live like Lauryn” in her memory
Authorities in Florida have released video footage showing the moments leading up to a crash that killed a college student earlier this month.
Lauryn Akey, 21, was killed in the crash in on interstate in Charlotte County, Fla. around 1 a.m. on May 17, according to an arrest report obtained by PEOPLE.
Dennis Olson, 53, was arrested in connection with the crash hours later, when he was discharged from the hospital where he’d been taken for his own injuries.
The investigation revealed that Olson was driving in the wrong direction on Interstate 75 when he allegedly crashed into Akey’s vehicle, causing her to be “ejected” from her car, according to the arrest report. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Officers interviewed Olson at the hospital where he was taken after the crash. He allegedly told police he had been at a “Sip & Sizzle” event that evening where he had a glass of wine, the arrest report stated. He allegedly said he did not have any recollection of the crash.
Police allege his blood alcohol content was 0.222, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08.
Akey’s family says she was returning from a wedding when she was killed, Action News 5 reported. She’d texted them she was almost home before she was killed.
In grainy black-and-white footage, which was shared with FOX 13 by the Florida Highway Patrol, Olson’s car can be seen making a U-turn on the highway shortly before the crash.
Florida drunk driver’s wrong-way crash on I-75 kills 1, injures 3
“By planning ahead, this tragedy most certainly could’ve been avoided,” an official with FHP said, according to the outlet.
Olson has been charged with one count each of negligent manslaughter in DUI causing death and vehicular homicide, online court records show. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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Dennis Lee Olson.Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office
Following her death, Akey’s friends and family are sharing the message: “Live like Lauryn,” Action News 5 reported.
“If you have something in your soul that you feel like you need to do, do it. She did,” her mother Melinda Mucho told the outlet. “So just live like Lauryn. Love like Lauryn.”
The Swiftie senior at the University of South Florida loved spending time with her friends on the water, fishing and “chasing sunsets,” read part of her obituary.
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