Family leans on faith after suspect arrested in deadly 90 mph crash: 'Light in the darkness'
Family leans on faith after suspect arrested in deadly 90 mph crash
The daughter of a woman killed in a high-speed crash in Ocala says she has chosen forgiveness while urging young drivers to slow down and avoid reckless driving.
OCALA, Fla. - A family is trying to heal after a devastating, high-speed crash tore their lives apart.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the tragedy unfolded on the evening of April 19 at the intersection of Hemlock Road and Pine Road.
The backstory:
Investigators revealed that 18-year-old De’Shawn Williams was driving an estimated 90 miles per hour in a posted 30-mile-per-hour zone. Williams' vehicle violently slammed into a car carrying 47-year-old Amanda Dice and her husband, Roger.
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Dice was tragically killed at the scene. Her husband was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. Following a months-long investigation, state troopers arrested Williams last week, charging him with vehicular homicide and multiple counts of reckless driving.
While the arrest brings a form of legal accountability, those left behind say their profound pain is just beginning. Loved ones remembered Amanda as a woman deeply rooted in her faith, who dedicated much of her life to lifting up others and serving her local church's youth group. Now, in the depths of unimaginable grief, her family is choosing to lean into the exact principles of grace and faith that Amanda instilled in them.
What's next:
Williams has since posted bond and has been released from the Marion County Jail. Meanwhile, Amanda’s husband Roger face a long road ahead as he continues to recover from his injuries.
What they're saying:
"She was just an incredible person, an incredible friend, an incredible mom, and it has left a hole in my heart. She was always the one that would lift everybody up. She was always the one that was there for everybody. That was just, I mean, a light in the darkness," said Alice Fine, Amanda’s best friend of 29 years.
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"Drive the speed limit, to not try to show off and be like, oh, I'm going this fast. It's not worth a life, ever. I know that my mom would want this kid to turn his life around and give his life to Christ," said Lina Dice, Amanda’s daughter.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Highway Patrol, Alice Fine, and Lina Dice.