Driver Gets 25 Years in Wrong-Way Crash That Killed Five Teens

On October 30, Maiky Simeon pleaded guilty in Miami to vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter for a wrong-way crash that killed five teenagers in August 2022. Under the agreement, Simeon’s sentence is 25 years, and time spent in custody beforehand will not count toward it. Had the case gone to trial, he could have faced up to 150 years behind bars.

The five victims, including 19-year-old Briana Pacalagua, were friends riding together in a Honda along the Palmetto Expressway close to Northwest 57th Avenue. Simeon’s car, traveling the wrong way, hit their vehicle. Investigators said he did not try to stop or swerve before the collision. Simeon survived with serious injuries and was later arrested.

At the hearing, victims’ relatives addressed Simeon and described their loss. Pacalagua’s mother spoke of her daughter’s love of life, while her father said the family had lost everything. Simeon listened in handcuffs and apologized, telling the families he understood their pain and asking for forgiveness. He said he hoped accepting the plea would bring them some relief.

The agreement spares the families a trial and sends Simeon to prison for 25 years.