Florida Highway Patrol: Lehigh Acres Man Charged With DUI Manslaughter After Fatal Collier County Crash

A three-vehicle crash on a rural Southwest Florida highway killed an 85-year-old woman and led to a DUI manslaughter charge, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The wreck happened on the night of Friday, June 22, 2026, on State Road 29 in Collier County and shut the road for several hours as crews worked the scene.

Authorities say a pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic, struck a bus, and then collided head-on with a sedan carrying two women. The 85-year-old woman, a passenger in the sedan, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The man arrested and charged in connection with the crash is identified by authorities as Alejandro Salto, 29, of Lehigh Acres. He has been charged, not convicted, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence as the case moves through the courts.

What Authorities Say Happened

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the sequence of the crash began when a pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic on State Road 29. The truck is alleged to have struck a bus before continuing into a head-on collision with a sedan, identified as a Nissan, that was carrying two women.

The head-on impact proved fatal for the older of the two women in the sedan. Investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene and began the work of documenting the collision, the positions of the vehicles, and the conditions on the roadway that night.

A crash involving a pickup truck, a bus, and a sedan can produce a complicated scene, with debris, multiple impact points, and several vehicles to examine. Troopers responding to such incidents typically secure the area, attend to the injured, and begin gathering the information needed to understand how the collision unfolded.

State Road 29 was closed for several hours following the crash. Lengthy closures are common after fatal wrecks, as troopers reconstruct the events, collect evidence, and clear the multiple vehicles involved before reopening the road to traffic.

The Florida Highway Patrol has not, in the information provided, released a detailed minute-by-minute account beyond the basic sequence of the pickup crossing into oncoming traffic, striking the bus, and then hitting the sedan. The investigation into the precise circumstances remains the responsibility of the patrol.

Multi-vehicle crashes present particular challenges for investigators, who must determine the sequence of impacts and the role each vehicle played. In this instance, the involvement of three vehicles, including a bus, added layers of complexity to the scene that troopers worked to document during the hours the road remained closed.

The Victim

The woman who died was an 85-year-old passenger in the sedan, a resident of Miramar in Broward County. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Her presence in the sedan, traveling on a Southwest Florida highway far from her home community on the state's east coast, is a reminder of how Florida's road network connects distant regions and how a single crash can reverberate across the state.

Miramar, in Broward County, lies on the opposite side of the peninsula from Collier County, separated by the highways and interstates that link Florida's coasts. The geography of the crash, with a victim from one region and an incident in another, illustrates how the consequences of a single collision can be felt far beyond the immediate community where it occurred.

The second woman in the sedan and the occupants of the bus are part of the broader incident, though the information provided centers on the fatality and the resulting charge. The Florida Highway Patrol typically continues to assess injuries to all involved as an investigation proceeds.

Out of respect for those affected and consistent with the record provided, this account focuses on the facts released by authorities. The human toll of the crash extends beyond the single confirmed death to the families and communities touched by the loss.

Fatal crashes ripple outward in ways that go beyond official reports. The loss of an 85-year-old woman traveling on a Friday night affects not only her immediate family but the wider circle of relatives and friends who knew her. Such losses are a recurring and sobering reality of serious crashes on Florida's roadways.

The Charge and the Presumption of Innocence

Alejandro Salto, 29, of Lehigh Acres, was arrested and charged with DUI manslaughter, according to authorities. The charge is among the most serious offenses tied to impaired driving in Florida, reflecting an allegation that impaired operation of a vehicle caused a death.

It is important to emphasize that a charge is an accusation, not a conviction. Salto is presumed innocent unless and until the state proves its case beyond a reasonable doubt in court. The allegations against him have not been tested at trial, and he is entitled to a defense.

DUI manslaughter cases in Florida often involve toxicology analysis, crash reconstruction, and witness accounts, all of which take time to develop and present. Prosecutors carry the burden of proof, and defendants have the right to challenge the evidence at every stage.

Under Florida law, a DUI manslaughter charge generally alleges that a person operated a vehicle while impaired and, in doing so, caused or contributed to the death of another. Establishing each element of such a charge can require detailed evidence, and the process of testing that evidence in court is central to how the case will ultimately be resolved.

As the case moves forward, the framing remains one of allegation and accusation. Authorities have described what they say occurred, but the ultimate determination of responsibility rests with the judicial process, not with the initial arrest.

The distinction between an arrest and a conviction is more than a formality. An arrest reflects an officer's determination that probable cause exists, while a conviction requires a far higher standard tested in open court. Defendants in DUI manslaughter cases retain the full slate of rights afforded to anyone accused of a crime, including the right to counsel and the right to confront the evidence against them.

DUI Enforcement on Florida's Roads

The arrest comes amid continued attention to impaired driving statewide. Officials describe this as one of several recent fatal-crash and DUI cases handled by the Florida Highway Patrol across Florida, a pattern that draws particular focus during the summer travel season.

Summer months typically bring increased traffic to Florida's highways as residents and visitors travel for holidays and vacations. Law enforcement agencies often heighten awareness of impaired driving during these periods, when roads are busier and the consequences of a crash can be magnified.

DUI manslaughter charges represent the gravest outcome of impaired driving enforcement, arising only when authorities allege that impairment contributed to a death. Such cases underscore the stakes that traffic-safety officials repeatedly raise in public messaging.

The Florida Highway Patrol and partner agencies routinely remind drivers to plan for sober transportation and to avoid getting behind the wheel after drinking. The agency's enforcement work spans both routine patrols and the investigation of serious crashes like the one on State Road 29.

Statewide, impaired-driving enforcement is a year-round priority that intensifies during holidays and high-travel periods. The pattern of recent cases described by officials reflects the ongoing nature of the problem and the resources devoted to investigating crashes where impairment is alleged to have played a role.

Rural Highway Safety in Southwest Florida

State Road 29 runs through some of the more rural stretches of Southwest Florida, linking communities across Collier and neighboring counties. Roads of this type often feature long, undivided segments where vehicles travel in opposite directions separated only by lane markings.

On undivided rural highways, a vehicle that crosses the center line can quickly find itself in the path of oncoming traffic, as authorities allege occurred in this case. Head-on collisions on such roads frequently produce severe outcomes because of the combined speed of the vehicles involved.

Traffic-safety advocates have long highlighted the particular risks of rural highways, where higher speeds, limited lighting, and the absence of physical medians can contribute to the seriousness of crashes. Nighttime conditions add further challenges for drivers.

The closure of State Road 29 for several hours reflects both the complexity of the multi-vehicle scene and the care investigators take in documenting fatal crashes on these corridors. Such closures, while disruptive, are part of the process of understanding what happened.

State Road 29 serves agricultural communities and connects to broader routes across the region, making it an important corridor for local travel and commerce. When a crash forces a lengthy closure, the effects extend to motorists who rely on the road, illustrating the wide reach of a single serious incident on a rural highway.

What's Next

With Salto charged, the case now enters the court system, where prosecutors will be required to present evidence and the defense will have the opportunity to respond. The legal process for a DUI manslaughter charge can extend over many months.

The Florida Highway Patrol's investigation into the crash may continue as additional information, including any toxicology and reconstruction findings, is developed. Those materials often play a central role in cases of this nature.

For the family of the 85-year-old woman from Miramar, the coming months will bring the difficult intersection of grief and the legal proceedings that follow a fatal crash. The outcome of the case will be determined through the courts.

The pace of such cases can vary widely, depending on the volume of evidence, the availability of analysis, and the decisions made by both the prosecution and the defense. Families and the public often must wait through extended periods as a case advances, a reality that is common to serious criminal matters across Florida.

A DUI manslaughter case typically proceeds through several stages, which can include an initial appearance, the formal filing of charges by prosecutors, pretrial hearings, and ultimately a resolution by plea or trial. Each stage offers opportunities for both sides to present arguments and for the court to weigh the evidence.

As with any pending criminal matter, the facts presented here are based on the account provided by authorities. Salto remains presumed innocent, and the allegations against him will be resolved through the judicial process rather than by the initial charge alone.