A Volusia County, Florida man has been arrested after deputies said he was caught driving 105 mph in a 45-mph zone in Deltona, past a school bus carrying children, with a 5-year-old child in his own back seat. The 5-year-old was not in a booster seat, as Florida law requires for a child of that age. The child was not injured.
According to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, deputies were drawn to the scene by witness reports of a driver weaving through traffic and passing other vehicles at high speeds on Howland Boulevard. When deputies pulled the driver over, body camera footage captured them speaking with the child in the back seat. The boy told them how old he was.
The driver was identified as Daniel Alphonse of Deltona. Authorities arrested him on charges of child neglect, reckless driving, and speeding after pulling him over. He’s currently being held on a $6,000 bond, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Florida’s “super speeder” law, which took effect in 2025, makes it a criminal offense to drive 50 mph or more above the speed limit. The 60 mph gap between Howland Boulevard’s limit and what deputies say Alphonse was doing is obviously well above that threshold. The case has since been referred to the Florida Department of Children and Families outside of the police.
What Happened According to Deputies
According to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, reports came in from witnesses on Howland Boulevard in Deltona who described a driver weaving through traffic and passing other vehicles at high speeds. Witnesses said it was even near a school bus that was loaded with children.
Deputies caught up with the vehicle and confirmed the same speeding and reckless driving themselves before pulling the driver over. They clocked the driver’s speed at 105 mph, in a 45 mph area.
A 5-year-old child was riding in the back seat of the vehicle when deputies made the stop. Florida law requires children of that age to be secured in a booster seat, and this child was not. Body camera video released by the sheriff’s office captured a deputy speaking with the child after the stop. The child confirmed on camera that he was just 5. The child was not injured, however.
The Driver and His Charges
The driver was identified by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office as Daniel Alphonse, a Deltona resident. He has been charged with child neglect, reckless driving and speeding, according to FOX 35 Orlando. He’s being held on a $6,000 bond.
Florida’s so-called “super speeder” law, enacted in 2025, makes it a criminal offense to drive at 50 mph or more above the posted speed limit, with penalties that include arrest. The 105-mph figure deputies say they observed on Howland Boulevard puts Alphonse 60 mph over the 45-mph limit — well past the threshold that triggers the law.
Separately, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said the case has been referred to the Florida Department of Children and Families for review of the circumstances under which the 5-year-old came to be in the unsecured back seat.