ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A father and son visiting Orlando for college orientation at the University of Central Florida died when a suspected drunk driver ran a red light and hit their car Sunday afternoon.
Shane and Jakob Lloyd were driving through the intersection of Lake Underhill Road and Rouse Road just after 1 p.m. when troopers said 40-year-old Leslie Gehret ran a red light.
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Family members said Jakob, 19, had just graduated high school in Colorado and was about to start classes at UCF.
“They were in town for college orientation so he could start his life and now it’s taken from him,” his aunt Brandy Bowden said.
Read: FHP: Woman, 40, arrested in double fatal crash in Orange County
Bowden said her older brother Shane was an amazing brother, father, husband and overall person.
“He was like the one we all looked up to and aspired to be and make proud,” she said. “He was my hero.”
And as for her nephew Jakob, she said the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. She said he was an athlete, a scholar, and so much more.
Read: 2 killed by driver who ran red light in Orange County, FHP says
“He played the bass in orchestra and he was going to go to school to study forensic chemistry,” Bowden said.
Investigators said their lives were taken by 40-year-old Leslie Gehret, who is now facing charges for her third DUI in 10 years as well as two counts of homicide and two counts of DUI manslaughter.
A judge set Gehret’s bond at $702,000 on Monday.
“Because you can’t follow the rules you’ve just taken two lives that we can never get back,” Bowden said.
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