ORLANDO, Fla. — A man accused of killing two people in a deadly crash in 1998 is back in the Orange County jail.
Patrick Lutts was returned to Florida following his arrest in Toronto, Canada, last year.
The crash occurred on Dec. 25, 1998, on SR-528 in Orlando and resulted in the deaths of 19-year-old Nancy Lopez Leon and 18-year-old Darvin DeJesus.
Investigators determined Lutts was intoxicated at the time of the crash, with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit.
Lutts had previously reached a legal agreement with prosecutors regarding the crash.
He agreed to serve 10 years in prison as part of a plea deal, but never appeared in court for his sentencing.
The fugitive remained at large for several decades, though he was encountered by international authorities years before his eventual arrest.
Lutts first tried to enter Canada in 2003, but officials denied him entry at that time because of the open criminal case in Florida.
The search for Lutts reached a conclusion following a recent lead.
Investigators received a tip from Florida stating that he was living in Toronto.
Authorities located and arrested him in the Canadian city in May 2023.
Lutts is currently being held at the Orange County Jail where he is waiting to be sentenced.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
