OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A man ticketed following a deadly crash that killed two children, their mother and grandmother near Disney last month was arrested on separate immigration charges, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Highway Patrol said 26-year-old Lucas Dos Reis Laurindo who was driving a pickup truck, failed to slow down and slammed into the family’s van.
While the Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation was still underway, federal officials arrested the man.
According to a federal court filing related to the arrest, the man is asking to be allowed to go back to Brazil.
Documents show Laurindo was trying to get on a plane to Brazil, where he’s a citizen, but officials took him in before he got on the plane.
Laurindo was arrested on Feb. 21 for a visa violation, documents show.
After investigating the crash, troopers said under Florida law the strongest charge that could be made against Laurindo is a ticket issued for careless driving.
Read: FHP: 3 family members, including child, killed in Osceola County crash
Laurindo is petitioning U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services to release him and allow him “to board his flight to Brazil.”
In his petition, Laurindo states he was taken into custody Feb. 21 “while at the Orlando International Airport waiting to board an airplane bound for Brazil.”
According to Laurindo, he was told “he was being detained for deportation because he may have unlawfully worked while in the country.”
Troopers said Laurindo is at the ICE facility in Glades County.