Sentencing has been scheduled for May 12, 2023, for Lukasz Jacek Ryszka, after being found guilty as charged of two counts of DUI Manslaughter, DUI Serious Bodily
Injury, DUI Damage Person/Property, two counts of Vehicular Homicide and Reckless Driving Causing Serious Bodily Injury. The jury returned the guilty verdict following a three-day trial in Collier County.
The crimes happened on October 24, 2020, just before midnight, as the defendant drove a Toyota pick-up truck, at high-speed, into oncoming traffic, going southbound in the northbound lane of County Road 881, in Collier County. According to several witnesses who called 911, the truck was also running red lights, driving recklessly. This went on for almost 10 miles and a portion of it was caught on video.
The truck continued until it collided with a mini- van, just south of County Road 886. The driver of the van was pronounced dead on scene. There were three passengers in the van, one died at the hospital, and two survived. One victim suffered serious bodily injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene. Collier County Fire Rescue had to cut the wreckage away to remove the defendant from the driver’s seat of his truck. The 46-year-old, Fort Myers resident, did a voluntary blood draw at the hospital at the request of the FHP Trooper and his medical blood alcohol level, an hour after the crash, was .222 up to .26, more than double the legal limit. He also had slurred speech and the FHP Trooper noted he smelled like alcohol. The defendant was arrested early the next morning after being discharged from the hospital.
Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano of the Homicide Unit and Assistant State Attorney Tammera Wilson prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office