Man involved in crash that killed 2 sons given notice to appear in court days before tragedy

We are getting a brand-new look at the days leading up to the deaths of two brothers in Cape Coral. They tragically died when they were trapped in a car after it went into a canal. New documents show their father, who was also in the car, got in trouble with deputies days before the crash.

Investigators say suspect Kenneth Lawson damaged his ex-girlfriend’s property, gave a false name to deputies and had possession of marijuana. This all reportedly happened before the crash that killed his sons, 10-year-old John Wayne and 7-year-old Titus.

Lawson has five more days before he must appear in front of a judge.

According to a report, days before the crash, a woman said Lawson had been drinking all day at her home while his kids were there, and she wanted him gone.

The report shows Lawson began banging on the doors and windows of the woman’s home so hard that the victim says she heard a window shatter. A piece of plywood can now be seen on one of the back windows of the home.

We visited the home, and the woman out front went inside and shut the door. Shortly after, another man showed up. We asked him about what happened with Lawson, and he told us it was none of his business.

When deputies originally detained Lawson, they said he gave them a false name and later admitted he did so because of multiple active warrants out for him in Michigan.

When deputies asked him why his hand was cut, he said it was because of palm fronds in a nearby lot while he was trying to hide.

We also stopped at the address listed for Lawson in the report. There were cars at the home, but we didn’t talk with anyone there.

We asked the Lee County Sheriff’s Office why Lawson was given notice to appear in court rather than being arrested for the charges he faces, but we have not heard back yet.

No charges have been filed in the investigation of the crash that killed John Wayne and Titus. Cape Coral Police Department continues to investigate who was driving at the time of the crash.