TAVARES, FL – A 19-year-old driver is facing DUI manslaughter charges after allegedly hitting and killing a 2-year-old boy riding a tricycle in a gated community.

According to the Tavares Police Department, the incident occurred around 7:15 p.m. Monday in the Oak Bend subdivision, about 40 miles northwest of Orlando. Authorities reported that Asher Lepping, the 2-year-old victim, was riding his blue tricycle in a cul-de-sac when his father noticed a speeding Toyota Tacoma approaching.

Asher’s father attempted to alert the driver, Joshua Aidan Montero, to slow down, but the truck continued speeding into the cul-de-sac and struck the boy. The affidavit noted that the vehicle dragged the child and his tricycle a few feet before stopping.

Witnesses, including Asher’s parents and neighbors, rushed to the scene to provide CPR. The child was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Montero, who was wearing only a swimsuit at the time, exited the truck and sat on the sidewalk after the collision. Officers immediately detected a strong odor of alcohol on him and noted he had bloodshot, glassy eyes and was repeatedly itching his nose.

Montero’s breathalyzer test results showed blood alcohol content levels of .062 and .057, below the legal limit of .08, but any amount of alcohol in his system is illegal due to his age. Authorities believe his alcohol level was higher at the time of the incident.

As the police arrested Montero, he allegedly made statements that were redacted in the probable cause affidavit. He was taken into custody and is currently held at Lake County Jail without bond, with a court date scheduled for September 25.

A GoFundMe has been set up by a neighbor to support Asher’s family. The fundraiser highlighted the community’s shock and grief, condemning the driver’s disregard for the residents and children in the gated neighborhood.