COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – A Collier County man was sentenced to life in prison on Friday after killing two people while drunk driving.
In October 2020, Lukas Ryszka’s drove his pickup truck while he was drunk on the wrong side of the road for 10 miles.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Driver found guilty of killing two in major Collier County crash
He was 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.
Ryszka stopped driving when he smashed his truck head-on into a minivan on Livingston Road, just south of County Road 886, killing two young women who were in the van. Their names are Ana Gutierrez and Jennifer (China) Mozo.
Two other passengers in the van survived.
Ryszka’s blood alcohol level was almost triple the legal limit, according to a press release.
Nikki Smith lives in Naples said, “I’m glad they put him behind bars so he don’t hurt another family again. I feel bad for the family losing their loved ones.”
Bert Berthelsen said he remembered the crash. His heart goes out to their families.
“There’s plenty of things that’s not preventable cancer but drunk driving really?” Berthelsen said.
Berthelsen said drunk driving is far too common in the United States and rarely happens in other countries. He said, “I see people get out of their cars at gas stations and I’m like oh my god they can hardly even walk in the store I’m like are you kidding me you’re driving on the road!”
Ryszka’s attorney filed a notice to appeal his sentencing. The judge found him indigent and appointed a public defender for the appeal.
Berthelsen said, “You killed somebody that’s what happens it’s almost no different than if you decided to reach over grab them by the neck and strangle them you killed people and you gotta pay for that. At least we know he won’t do it again.”
The post Man sentenced to life in prison after killing two women while drunk driving appeared first on NBC2 News.
