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Teen caught speeding more than 120 mph months after deadly crash
A 19-year-old Orange County man accused of driving more than 120 mph has been arrested less than a year after investigators say he was involved in a deadly crash that killed two elderly Lynx paratransit passengers.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The Orange County Sheriff's Office says a deputy saw a driver run a four-way stop on Kelly Park Road, pass another vehicle across a double yellow line and turn off the vehicle's headlights before leading deputies on a high-speed pursuit.
Investigators say the chase reached speeds between 120 and 130 mph before the driver stopped. Deputies arrested 19-year-old Denis Maldonado Reyes at gunpoint.
The backstory:
FOX 35 confirmed Reyes is the same driver involved in a deadly crash less than a year ago.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the previous crash happened when a Lynx paratransit bus turned into Reyes' path, unaware he was speeding.
Reyes and his 17-year-old passenger were injured. The crash killed passengers Jerry Earl, 81, and Aida Maldonado, 94.
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2 killed, 2 injured in Apopka crash involving LYNX van
Two people were killed, and two teenagers were injured after a Ford Mustang slammed into the side of a van in Apopka, authorities said. The crash happened at the intersection of Rock Springs Road and Alexandria Place as an ACCESS LYNX van was making a turn, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Records show Reyes received a speeding citation for driving 63 mph in a 45 mph zone one month before the deadly crash. His driver's license had already been suspended for failing to pay a 2024 citation for illegally passing a stopped school bus.
What they're saying:
Edna McGrew's grandmother, Aida Maldonado, was killed in the earlier crash.
"We saw that it was the same guy. I'm like, wow, it's crazy. I mean, luckily, he didn't kill someone this time," McGrew said.
She said the loss of her grandmother continues to weigh heavily on the family.
"It is not like she passed naturally. You know, she was ill and she just died. No, this was taken from us. So it has been hard," she said. "We basically want justice. We just want something to be done."
McGrew questioned why Reyes was still able to drive.
"Why is he driving now with a suspended license, and then he gets a bond?" she said. "Can he have his vehicle taken from him? I don't know what else it takes."
What's next:
Reyes waived his arraignment in the latest case and entered a not guilty plea to the new speeding-related charges.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, previous reporting by FOX 35 News, and an interview with Edna McGrew, granddaughter of Aida Maldonado, who was killed in the 2025 Apopka crash.