Fugitive in 1998 Christmas Day DUI crash that killed teens in Orlando captured in Canada
The Brief
A man wanted in a 1998 Christmas Day crash that killed two teens in Orlando has been arrested in Toronto.
Patrick Lutts Jr. was living under an alias and captured by a Canadian fugitive task force.
He faces extradition to Florida to stand trial for DUI manslaughter.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man accused of a deadly 1998 crash that killed two teenagers in Orlando has been captured in Canada after more than two decades on the run, officials confirmed.
What we know
Patrick Lutts Jr., a Florida man wanted in a fatal DUI crash that occurred on Christmas Day in 1998, has been captured in Canada after 26 years on the run.
Authorities say Lutts, now in his 50s, was living under the alias Patrick Lighthelp in Toronto, where he was recently arrested by a Canadian fugitive task force in February. Lutz faces two counts of DUI manslaughter for the deaths of 19-year-old Nancy Lopez Leon and her boyfriend Darvin DeJesus, 18.
The backstory
According to investigators, Lutts was driving intoxicated on December 25, 1998, when he turned onto an entrance ramp along State Road 528 in Orlando and crashed into the couple.
Blood tests at the time confirmed he was over the legal alcohol limit. While the case continued through 2003, it eventually stalled after Lutts disappeared. Authorities believe he fled the country to evade prosecution and has been living in Canada ever since.
What we don't know
It remains unclear exactly how Lutts was able to evade law enforcement for more than two decades. Canadian authorities have not released detailed information about his arrest, and there is no timeline yet for when he will be extradited back to Florida. His next hearing in Canada is scheduled for later this month.
What they're saying
In a statement provided to FOX 35 News, Leon's family expressed frustration over the decades-long delay.
"The 26-year delay in the legal proceedings has been a source of additional pain for my client and her family," Leon's family said in a statement released through their attorney. "It is now time for the charges against Mr. Lutts to be concluded in accordance with the law."
A former coworker of Lutts, who was slated to testify in the original case, also commented, "It's a shame he made the decision to run from the responsibility of his actions, and it is important that he be held fully accountable for the lives that were taken."
Big picture view
Lutts' capture brings renewed focus to the toll of unresolved DUI cases and the long-lasting pain for victims' families. For the families of Lopez Leon and Corado, the arrest marks a potential end to decades of uncertainty and a step toward long-awaited justice.
What's next
Court documents indicate Lutts has another hearing in Canada scheduled for later this month as officials work to extradite him to Florida.
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The Source
This story was written based on information shared by the Toronto Police Service Fugitive Squad, the Ninth Circuit Court, the Texas Dept. of Public Safety, and the Orlando Police Department.
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