Lakeland man who drove into house, killing a 24-year-old, charged with vehicular homicide

A 24-year-old man from Brazil was killed in June when a truck missed the intersection at Longfellow Boulevard and North Crystal Lake Drive and crashed into the house he was in. The driver of that SUV has now been charged with vehicular homicide.

The driver of a car that crashed into an East Lakeland house in June and killed a 24-year-old soccer player is now facing vehicular homicide charges, Lakeland police said Monday.

On June 19, Alexander Dalton Collins, 27, of Lakeland was driving his 2016 Dodge Durango south on Longfellow Boulevard and failed to stop where the road ends at North Crystal Lake Drive, careening into a house on the other side of the street. The car came to rest inside the residence and struck a 24-year-old man inside, who was declared dead at the scene.

Collins was arrested last week after police say an investigation showed he sped up from 42 mph to 52 mph in the last five seconds before crashing into the house. Police say the vehicle’s data showed no indication that Collins attempted to stop or slow down. The posted speed limit on that roadway is 30 mph.

Last week: Central Florida Aerospace Academy student, 15, killed in fatal Lakeland bus crash

Police also said Collins was driving with a suspended license. He is charged with vehicular homicide, and driving with a suspended or revoked license causing death or serious injury.

Lakeland police never identified the victim in the house. But the Lakeland United Football Club identified him as Yuri dos Santos Vasconcelos from Brazil in a tribute on its Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: LPD: Lakeland man sped up before hitting house, killing soccer player