Car In Canal After Crash

Woman Safe After Being Hit By Dump Truck And Crashing Into Canal

LABELLE, FL. -- A car ended up in a water filled canal after a dump truck rear ends it Tuesday afternoon south of LaBelle at 4:24 p.m.. The driver escaped injury.

Alain Guzman Lapuente, 29 of Naples, driving a dump truck and Alejandra Santiago, 19 of LaBelle in a 2008 Dodge Avenger were southbound on State Road 29. The truck was behind Santiago while Dalia Marizta Lazalde 21 of LaBelle was northbound on State Road 29. 

Santiago brought her vehicle to a stop in the southbound lane and Lapuente failed to reduce speed to avoid a collision. As a result, the front of the truck struck the rear of  the Dodge. After the impact, the Dodge exited the roadway in a southerly direction coming to final rest in a water filled canal. 

After impact with the Dodge, the driver of the truck then lost control of the vehicle and it began to rotate counterclockwise and entered the northbound lane of State Road 29. At that time, the left front of the truck collided with the left side of Lazalde's 2005 Lincoln. 

The Lincoln continued northbound and struck a sign before coming to final rest on the east grassy shoulder of State Road 29 facing west. The truck came to final rest facing east across both lanes of State Road 29.

FHP Trooper T. Parks charged Lapuente with careless driving. Lazalde was taken to Hendry Regional Hospital with minor injuries. All drivers were wearing seatbelts.