LABELLE, FL. -- An 18-year old teen is dead after the driver's truck crashed forcefully into trees on Cowboy Way this afternoon near the LaBelle High School.
Margarito Reyes of LaBelle died after being transported to Lee Memorial Hospital.
At about 2:32 p.m. Monday, Reyes' 2005 white Dodge pickup truck was eastbound on County Road 80A, also known as Cowboy Way. Florida Highway Patrol Trooper T. Parks said for unknown reasons Reyes's vehicle crossed the center line of the roadway and lost control.
As a result, the truck began to rotate counterclockwise, then exited the roadway and struck a group of trees on the north shoulder of County Road 80A, and lodged between the trees, totally the truck which was smashed badly on the front end.
Moderate rain had started falling in the LaBelle area about the time of the crash.
While the FHP reports the crash happened at 2:32 p.m., at 3:15 p.m. emergency personnel were arriving and working on the scene to extract Reyes from the very badly smashed passenger compartment. Reyes was not wearing a seat belt and the crash was not alcohol related, say investigators.
Reyes was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased due to injuries sustained from the crash. He was a senior at LaBelle High School.
FHP Homicide Investigator Cpl. Juan Quintana says charges for the crash are still under investigation.
Update: A Funeral Mass was held Friday, March 22 at 1:00 PM at Our Lady Queen Of Heaven Catholic Church, LaBelle, FL.
A benefit car wash and dinner was held Saturday, March 23 at Advance Auto Parts sponsored by Rachel's Challenge, a local charity
Update: A Funeral Mass was held Friday, March 22 at 1:00 PM at Our Lady Queen Of Heaven Catholic Church, LaBelle, FL.
A benefit car wash and dinner was held Saturday, March 23 at Advance Auto Parts sponsored by Rachel's Challenge, a local charity
This has not been the first accident in this area. How many more people will lose their life before something is done. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and the class of 2013.
ReplyDeleteI find this extremely saddening because less that two years ago I too had a bad accident in the same area :(
ReplyDeleteI dont think other people should be blamed for any crash its no one else's fault. My prayers go out to the Reyes family and the students at LaBelle High School.
ReplyDeleteA correction on the above article. It only took 12 minutes for Reyes to be extracted.
I cried. This was the second time this year that LHS lost a fellow student. I dearly miss the two.
ReplyDeleteMy condolences go out to his family. I personally was friends with Magarito and also with the previously passed, Ryan Hellard. Love and Miss you boys <3
ReplyDeleteDoes that section of the road get really slippery when its rainy or anything like that --- wonder ???
ReplyDeleteAll roads after a rain can get slippery, especially after there hasn't been rain for a while to rinse off oil from the road surface. This section of roadway, near the High School was a straight section and posed no particular dangerous situation.
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