Man who survived wrong-way crash killing 5 students jailed in Miami-Dade, records show

Corrections officers book Maiky Simeon who is facing charges in a wrong-way crash that killed a group of five people in Miami-Dade County. (MDCR)

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Corrections officers booked a 30-year-old man on Friday afternoon, who is accused of killing a group of five friends — a teenage girl, an 18-year-old man, and three women ages 18 and 19.

The group died during a wrong-way head-on collision at about 4:30 a.m., on Aug. 20, near Doral in Miami-Dade County, police said. Relatives said the victims were celebrating a friend who was leaving for New York University.

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Maiky Simeon, the driver of a silver Infinity sedan, was traveling eastbound on the westbound lanes of The Palmetto Expressway when he collided with a gray Honda sedan that was traveling westbound near Northwest 57 Avenue, according to Lt. Alejandro Camacho, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel found the group who was in the Honda dead. They were Valeria Peña, 17; Valeria Caceres, 18; Giancarlo Arias, 18; Briana Pacalagua, 19; and Daniela Marcano, 19. Arias was the one preparing to move to New York.

From left, Valeria Peña, 17; Valeria Caceres, 18; Giancarlo Arias, 18; Briana Pacalagua, 19; and Daniela Marcano, 19; died during a crash on Aug. 20 in Miami-Dade County. (Courtesy photos)

Simeon was injured and Fire Rescue personnel took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

“Simeon continues to receive medical care at the hospital while being monitored by law enforcement officials,” Camacho said after FHP troopers arrested him on Aug. 22.

A doctor released Simeon on Friday from JMH and he was still wearing a hospital gown when he arrived at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Simeon is facing five counts of vehicular homicide in a reckless manner. FHP troopers are awaiting the results of a toxicology report to determine if impairment was a contributing factor, Camacho said. If so, prosecutors will file additional charges.


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