Executive Summary
- Four people died in a multi-vehicle crash on U.S. 90 in Suwannee County, Florida.
- victims included a 76-year-old woman and two children, ages 6 and 8.
- Florida AG James Uthmeier stated the other driver, Marin Lagunas Ramirez, was undocumented and previously deported.
- Officials allege Ramirez was likely impaired, driving in the wrong lane, and in possession of cocaine.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stated Wednesday that a driver involved in a fatal multi-vehicle collision in Suwannee County, which resulted in the deaths of a Lake City woman and two children, was in the United States illegally and had been previously deported.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the incident occurred just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday along U.S. 90. Investigators reported that the crash involved three vehicles and left four people dead. The fatalities included the driver of the initiating vehicle, identified as Marin Lagunas Ramirez, as well as a 76-year-old woman and two girls, ages 8 and 6, who were traveling in a separate car.
Attorney General Uthmeier stated in a social media post that Ramirez was likely driving under the influence and operating his vehicle in the wrong lane when the collision took place. Uthmeier further alleged that Ramirez was found in possession of cocaine at the scene. “We pray for the families of the innocent lives taken at the hands of those who should’ve never been in our country in the first place,” Uthmeier said.
FHP officials confirmed that the 76-year-old woman and the two children died at the scene of the crash. While the specific circumstances leading to the collision remain under investigation, state authorities are focusing on the allegations of impairment and the driver’s immigration history as central factors.
Investigative Outlook
The Florida Highway Patrol is currently conducting a comprehensive reconstruction of the accident on U.S. 90 to definitively establish the sequence of events and confirm the preliminary findings regarding the driver’s condition. Final toxicology reports will be required to substantiate the allegations of impairment and drug possession cited by state officials. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
