A 21-year-old University of South Florida student, Lauryn Marie Akey, tragically lost her life in a devastating crash on Interstate 75 in Florida after attending a wedding celebration.
Who Was Lauryn Akey?
Lauryn Marie Akey was born on October 21, 2004, and graduated from Rochelle Township High School in Illinois in 2023. She later moved to Florida with her family and enrolled at USF, where she studied Exercise Science and maintained a 4.0 GPA while working toward her dream of becoming a nurse.
Friends and family described Lauryn as warm, loving, and deeply kind. She enjoyed fishing with her boyfriend Garrett Day, spending time near the water, attending concerts by Taylor Swift, and caring for her three dogs.
Her mother, Melinda Mucho, said Lauryn “brought people together” and “loved hard.”
The Night of the Crash
In the early morning hours of May 17, 2026, Lauryn was driving south on Interstate 75 after attending a wedding. Before continuing home, she stopped for gas and sent her family a final text message saying she had fueled up and loved them.
Shortly after 1 a.m., tragedy struck near mile marker 150 in Charlotte County, Florida.
According to investigators, a Ford F-150 made an illegal U-turn directly into oncoming northbound traffic. Lauryn’s vehicle was struck head-on. Another car carrying a woman and two children was also involved in the collision.
Lauryn died at the scene. The other victims suffered serious injuries.
Driver Arrested
Authorities identified the driver of the truck as Dennis Lee Olson, 53, of Lehigh Acres, Florida.
Investigators reported his blood alcohol level was 0.222 — nearly three times Florida’s legal limit. Olson was arrested and now faces felony charges including vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter.
Officials later revealed Olson had a previous DWI arrest in Minnesota in 2019 and had completed court-ordered alcohol safety programs.
Family and Community Response
Lauryn’s death sparked an outpouring of grief online. Friends created the hashtag #lovelikelauryn to honor her kindness and positivity.
Her mother also shared a beachside video tribute, urging people never to drink and drive. She wrote:
“A drunk driver took her from us far too soon… Fish on, baby girl. We’ll find you in every sunset on the water.”
Celebration of Life
A Celebration of Life service for Lauryn will be held on May 30, 2026, at:
Grace Community Church
Her family requested attendees wear bright, cheerful colors to celebrate her spirit and joyful personality.
The obituary ended with lyrics from Long Live:
“Long live all the magic we made.”