Sunday, May 31, 2015

2 DRIVERS KILLED IN HORRIFIC CRASHES WHEN THEY REAR-ENDED CONSTRUCTION TRUCKS ON I-75 IN PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA. SLOW DOWN AT CONSTRUCTION SITES; YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.











MAY 29, 2015

PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN)

Authorities continue to investigate a fatal multi-vehicle crash that left two drivers dead Thursday night and shutdown the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 for several hours afterward.

Friday morning, the two victims killed in the crash that involved two cars and two tractor-trailer trucks, were identified as 17-year-old Liza Angulo and 29-year-old Jonathan Raymon Astaphan. Both were from Miramar.

Angulo recently graduated American Heritage School where she made quite an impression. "She was an honors student," said American Heritage School Principal Elise Blum. "She was a good student in challenging classes. She was loved by all her teachers. She was very involved in the yearbook."

Domenick Feliciano, a friend of Angulo said, "Liza was a really kind person. She was a down-to-earth girl. She just put a smile on the face of everyone she was around."

Tihun Lowe said, "She was feisty. She was lively. She was amazing. I love her."
The Florida Highway Patrol said the accident happened near the Pines Boulevard exit, just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday. According to FHP, a semi-truck loaded with concrete barrier walls was pulling out of a construction site onto the southbound lanes of I-75 when it was hit by a Mitsubishi driven by Astaphan.

The Mitsubishi slid under the truck, ripping off its roof, killing Astaphan instantly. A female passenger in that car, identified as Patricia Rolle, was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital and remains in serious condition. FHP Sgt. Mark Wysocky said it was a miracle she was alive when rescuers responded to the scene. "It's amazing that she even survived at all," he noted, "because the way you saw the car, it's amazing that anyone would have survived out of that car."

Following that, Angulo crashed into the rear of the semi-truck loaded with concrete barriers. Part of that load fell onto her white BMW, killing her instantly. "As part of the crash, the wall sections came over onto the top of one vehicle," said Wysocky.

FHP said the chain reaction crash ended with another semi-truck crashing into one of the barrier walls that fell on the road. That truck then also crashed into the trailer. The drivers of the two semis were not injured.

Friends of Angulo showed up to the scene after they say her mom was worried that she hadn't returned home yet. "My friend text me about there's a really bad accident on I-75, and he didn't know what happened," said Lowe, "so he asked on the app if there's a white BMW, and no one responded. He told me, 'Go check it out' because he had a bad feeling about it.

"I called them to tell them, 'Can you guys check the area?' I'm going on 75, and the first thing I saw when I came on 75 was a bad accident, and it was a white car. I started calling the construction workers asking them if it was a BMW, and they said it was and then everything just went downhill from there."

Friends said Angulo got the BMW as a graduation gift from her parents. They also said she was planning to attend the University of Miami in the fall.

The school's principal described the teen as an intelligent and caring young lady with a bright future ahead of her. "She touched many, many people on this campus," said Blum, "because she was not only good as a student, she was a good person. She was kind to everybody."

FHP continues to investigate, including looking into whether the barriers were properly secured on the truck and if the tragedy could have been prevented.

Here is what commenters wrote (unedited):

I warned State Highways and called FHP and State Highway repeatedly about this issue, there is no acceleration/deacceleration lanes, project is not being done safely, FHP Ignored my requests, I have called 911 several times, entering a interstate road at 15-20 MPH would be negligent driving in any other state! I told them this was going to happen! Somebody should file a lawsuit against the state! No signaling when entering, crossing five lanes of interstate @ 15 MPH. Dust clouds blocking driver view, construction vehicles facing oncoming traffic at night with headlights on temporarily blinding oncoming traffic. Not in compliance with MUTCD (Federal Law), further I also notified (FHWA).

I completely agree. I travel this road all the time around the same time this happened, and it's utterly dangerous, and the trucks entering the highway are careless. The reason they're careless, is because they see their vehicle as just a job, and know that if anything comes colliding into them, they'll be fine, and the worst case is their employer gets the brunt of it with law suits. There needs be more accountability and precaution when foregoing construction jobs like this, especially late night with the blinding lights and debris blowing everywhere. At 11:30 PM on this road, the traffic is near none, and in order for an accident like this to occur, it's almost certain that the truck driver was negligent about safety and should thoroughly be investigated.

Our cars are equipped with many safety devices these days, that are there for our safety.... such is the windshield, is there for you, to be on the look out for your on coming traffic, and to protect you from flying objects and other hazard things. At the same time.. moving the foot from the gas, will slow down the car, which in case you are paying attention.. will save your life. The phone is not part of the car in any way or shape what so ever... texting will pull away from the pesky oncoming traffic and the trucks... trucks are huuughes and can't be missed.. if you missed a truck.. trust you weren't on looking through your windshield. In construction site the posted speed is usually 45 to 55mph, which the numbers were selected not to harass you.. but they are selected based on the weight and the speed of your car. You can stop a car in less than 5 seconds if you slam on the brakes, the moment your brain interpreted danger at that speed. Stop accusing others of your irresponsible driving and take account of your actions.. if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.. btw.. truck drivers are very courteous, and they are professionals, and they do know what they are drive...

Completely avoidable. Smells like a massive industrial accident lawsuit. Dump trucks and flat beds entering a 70 mph high-speed roadway without acceleration lanes? Vehicles traveling in the lanes at legal speeds have had to swerve and taken evasive action to avoid collisions. All construction needs to STOP immediately until corrective action is taken to avoid a repeat. We all knew it wasn't a matter of "if" a massive wreck would happen, but "when." Why weren't the concrete dividers secured on the flatbed? I fault the construction company and the approving authority, probably FDOT.

While distracted driving i.e. texting, talking, holding a dog on your lap, eating, applying makeup contribute to most wrecks, driving on I-75 even while completely attentive will not help if a truck suddenly pulls out in front of you. You slow down for the truck, then the driver behind you slams into you.
How sad that two young lives had to be lost in order to highlight an issue known to the motoring public and should have been anticipated by those in charge. Pray for the familes of those lost. RIP