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Suspect arrested in Apopka fatal crash had a criminal history

APOPKA, Fla. — Channel 9 investigated the criminal history of the man arrested for killing an 8-year-old boy and found prior arrests.

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Apopka police said that 38-year-old Marcus Antone Williams was speeding off from a burglary he committed when he crashed into a vehicle carrying a mother and her two sons.

Inside that vehicle was 8-year-old Jayden Miranda, who was killed.

Channel 9 found a criminal history going back 20 years for speeding, stealing cars, robberies and burglaries. This is not the first time the suspect has been arrested for speeding or crashing into a car with children inside.

“A little child going to school,” said Arcangel Miranda. Jayden was his eldest son.

Read: 8-year-old dies in Apopka crash involving fleeing car burglary suspect

Channel 9 spoke to Arcangel Miranda as he returned home from visiting his wife in the hospital. He said she has a broken spine, hip and ankle, and may be paralyzed.

“My nephew is gone, “said Jayden’s aunt, Wendy Miranda.

Channel 9 investigated court records and found this isn’t the first time Williams has been arrested for something similar. Last year, he was arrested and charged for stealing a vehicle and then hitting another car that also had two kids inside.

However, unlike the crash with the Mirandas, they all survived.

“I feel a burning pain in my heart,” Wendy Miranda said.

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Channel 9 also found the state documented him as a habitual repeat felon after 20 years of stealing cars, speeding, robberies and more.

We asked Arcangel Miranda if he had anything to say to Williams. He said he had nothing for him.

Ricky Miranda, Jayden’s brother, was also in the car. He was released from the hospital shortly after.

“Jayden has a big bottle full of coins he was saving to buy his family a house,” Wendy Miranda said.

Read: Apopka High School teacher charged in ‘sexual incident’ with teenage boy after giving him edibles

Miranda said he is thankful his son Ricky and wife survived, but knows they’ll be impacted by the loss of Jayden forever.

Records show that the state decided to not move forward with prosecuting the case for Williams’ crash last year. Channel 9 is still looking into why that decision was made.

Jayden’s mother is still in the hospital. The family said she had a broken spine, hip and ankle and has been in surgery since the crash.

Williams has been charged with felony murder and three other charges for the crash and the burglary he was trying to escape.

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