A tragic incident unfolded in Florida over the weekend when a repeat drunk driver, whose license had been suspended, caused a fatal collision that claimed the lives of a father and son. Leslie Gehmert, 40, now faces charges of homicide after running a red light and crashing into the vehicle carrying Shane Lloyd, 50, and his 19-year-old son Jakob Lloyd. This marks Gehmert’s third DUI arrest in the past decade, highlighting the devastating consequences of her reckless actions.
According to reports, the Lloyd family, who hail from Colorado, were on their way to a college orientation in Florida when the accident occurred. The victims were making a legal turn in Orlando when Gehmert, who had been sued last year for another crash, entered the intersection at a high speed and collided with their car. The impact caused the Lloyd’s vehicle to roll over multiple times, ultimately ending up on its roof. Tragically, Shane Lloyd was pronounced dead at the scene, while Jakob, who had aspirations of studying forensic chemistry, succumbed to severe trauma at a local hospital.
Gehmert, who suffered minor injuries, exhibited signs of intoxication at the accident site. Despite this, she refused to submit to a blood alcohol test. Witnesses reported that she remained in her car in a state of shock immediately after the collision. Gehmert’s license had been suspended following a DUI arrest in March, making her presence on the road illegal at the time of the accident. As a result, she now faces charges of vehicular homicide, driving with a suspended license resulting in death, DUI, and DUI manslaughter.
The devastating loss of the Lloyd family has left their loved ones grappling with grief. Shannon Brown, Shane’s sister, expressed the profound impact of the tragedy on their family. She described her brother as her hero and shared that the loss of both him and Jakob has been incredibly difficult to comprehend. The Lloyd family had traveled to Florida to prepare Jakob for his upcoming college journey at the University of Central Florida, where he had planned to start his studies in the Fall.
Gehmert’s history of reckless behavior extends beyond this recent incident. Last July, she was sued for damages resulting from a separate crash that caused permanent injury to Alexander Chapman. The lawsuit alleged that Gehmert had made an improper turn, failed to maintain her lane, and collided with Chapman’s vehicle.
As the investigation continues, Gehmert remains in custody with a bail set at $700,000. The loss of Shane and Jakob Lloyd has left their family and friends devastated, robbing them of a beloved father and a promising young man with dreams of making a difference.