An Ocala family says its faith is carrying them through after troopers accused a teenage driver of flying through a 30 mph zone at about 90 mph and causing a deadly wreck that killed a local woman in April. The suspect, 18-year-old De'Shawn Vonkei Williams, was taken into custody on June 24 and booked on multiple charges, including vehicular homicide and several reckless driving counts. The victim’s daughter has publicly chosen forgiveness and is pleading with young drivers to slow down. The collision happened around 5:20 p.m. on April 19 at the intersection of Pine Road and Hemlock Road.
What investigators say
According to WESH, Florida Highway Patrol troopers say Williams was behind the wheel of a northbound 2021 Infiniti Q50 that entered the Pine and Hemlock intersection and slammed into a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. Troopers estimated the Infiniti's speed at roughly 90 mph in a posted 30 mph zone. WESH reports the Elantra's front seat passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver was ejected and rushed to a hospital with critical injuries. Investigators say Williams and a 21-year-old passenger in his car had only minor injuries.
Arrest and booking
Public booking records reviewed online show Williams was booked into the Marion County Jail on June 24 on a vehicular homicide count along with multiple reckless driving charges. The listed bonds add up to about $35,000. The booking entry breaks out several traffic-related statute codes and separate reckless driving counts, signaling that prosecutors are pursuing charges connected to both the death and the serious injuries involved. The itemized booking information remains publicly accessible in the online records system.
Family reacts
In a video interview, the victim’s daughter told FOX 35 Orlando that she has made the difficult choice to forgive Williams. She urged other young drivers to "slow down" and think twice before making reckless decisions behind the wheel, stressing how one split-second decision can change multiple lives.
FOX 35 Orlando also reports that Williams was given a combined bond of roughly $35,000 and has since posted bond, allowing him to be released while the case proceeds.
What the charges mean
Under Florida law, vehicular homicide applies when a death is caused by operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner that is likely to cause death or great bodily harm. Reckless driving that causes serious bodily injury can also be charged as a felony, according to the Florida Statutes. Those statutes outline what prosecutors must prove and the range of penalties that could be on the table as the case moves through Marion County courts.
Williams is scheduled to return to Marion County court on July 28. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the Marion County Sheriff's Office at (352) 732-9111.
