On February 22, 2026, at approximately 1:05 a.m., Cape Coral Police Department officers responded to a two‑vehicle traffic crash in the area of Beach Parkway West in Cape Coral. One vehicle, an orange pickup, had come to rest on its side with two occupants trapped, and the second vehicle, a blue Chevrolet Silverado, was located in the median with significant front‑end damage. The blue Chevrolet Silverado had t-boned the orange pickup.
Cape Coral Fire Department personnel and Lee County EMS responded and began life‑saving efforts on the occupants of the orange pickup. Despite those efforts, an adult female passenger was pronounced deceased on scene at approximately 1:29 a.m. The adult male driver of the orange pickup was transported as a trauma alert to a local hospital with serious injuries. The involved child passenger from the other vehicle was also evaluated for injuries.
Officers identified the driver of the blue Chevrolet Silverado as Tyler Paul Janson (DOB 04/10/2003), of Cape Coral. Janson remained on scene. During the initial contact, officers observed signs of impairment. Janson told officers he had been driving home after being at the beach and admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages and using medical marijuana earlier in the evening.
Due to the severity of the crash, Cape Coral Police Department Traffic Homicide Investigators (THI) responded and assumed the investigation. Investigators obtained security footage which showed the orange pickup backing from a driveway on Beach Parkway West with its lights illuminated, stopping at the edge of the roadway, back up into the roadway where it stopped for several seconds and then started to move forward when it was struck by the eastbound blue Chevrolet Silverado driven by Janson. The impact caused the orange pickup to roll over and come to rest on its side.
THI officers conducted a DUI investigation, including a series of standardized field sobriety exercises, which indicated impairment. Janson was arrested and initially refused to provide a breath sample, but later consented at the Cape Coral Police. A breath test provided a result of 0.149%. Janson refused to provide a second breath sample.
Investigators obtained a court‑authorized search warrant for a DUI-related blood draw, which was completed at a local hospital. The investigation is ongoing.
As a result of the investigation, Tyler Paul Janson was arrested and charged with the following:
DUI Manslaughter (F.S.S. 316.193(3)(c)3a)DUI with Serious Bodily Injury (F.S.S. 316.193(3)(c)2)DUI with Property Damage (F.S.S. 316.193(3)(c)1)DUI with a Person Under 18 in the Vehicle (F.S.S. 316.193(4))Refusal to Submit to a Lawful Breath Test (F.S.S. 316.1939)
This tragic crash is a stark reminder that impaired driving decisions can have permanent and devastating consequences for innocent families. Our Traffic Homicide Investigators will continue to work closely with the State Attorney’s Office as this case moves forward.
On February 16, 2026, Tyler Janson pled No Contest to Reckless driving related to an August 16, 2025 arrest for DUI in Cape Coral. Janson pled No Contest and was adjudicated guilty, placed on 6 months of probation, and was not to possess or consume alcohol, all occurring 6 days prior to this DUI Manslaughter arrest.
