Gathering held for 5 young victims of 826 crash in Southwest Miami-Dade – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – A tribute will be held for a group of teens whose lives were cut short because of a man police have called a reckless driver.

On Tuesday evening, family and friends of the victims were seen at the Hammocks Community Park as a memorial was placed in their honor.

The gathering is set to take place within the next hour. Many brought flowers and balloons to place the memorial and pay their respects.

Briana Pacalagua, Valeria Caceres, Daniela Marcano, Valeria Peña and Gian Carlo Arias were the five young adults — ranging in age of 18 to 25 — who were tragically killed in a wrong-way crash over the weekend.

The fatal wreck happened near the entrance ramp at Northwest 57th Avenue, at around 4:30 a.m., Saturday.

“They were so young and had so much to live,” said Valeria Gonzalez, a friend of the victims.

The man police said is responsible for the crash is 30-year-old Maiky Simeon.

He was said to have been traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes in a silver Infiniti sedan when he collided head-on with the Honda the victims were riding in.

He has since been charged with five counts vehicular homicide.

The five families of the victims have been left heartbroken, missing their loved ones but are remembering the legacy they leave behind.

“I’m just very sad for everything that happened,” said Maria Camacaro, who went to school with the victims. “I’m feeling horrible.”

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