The Florida Highway Patrol reports that three people received serious injuries, three received minor injuries, and two people received no injuries in an April 29th crash in Jackson County.
According to the FHP, Kandace E. Stevens of Bonifay was driving a 2003 Ford Explorer eastbound on Satellite Road approaching the intersection of SR 77 and a 1997 Ford SUV, driven by Romeo Gomez Diaz, 39 of Sneads, Florida, was southbound on SR 77. The driver of the Explorer began to make a left turn onto SR 77 and the front of the SUV collided with the left side of the Explorer. The Explorer came to final rest in the northbound lane of SR 77 facing east. The SUV came to final rest in the southbound lane of SR 77 facing west.
The FHP reports that Diaz and a male passenger in the SUV fled the scene of the crash on foot. K-9 teams were called to the scene to track the suspect (driver #2 Diaz). The K-9 teams tracked pair for several hours, covering over five miles through woods, swamps, ponds, and field. The K-9 teams tracked Diaz from Jackson County into Washington County before tracking him back into Jackson County. Diaz was located by the Florida Highway Patrol on Vicki Road where he was apprehended and arrested on charges of Violation of Right of Way, DUI w/Serious Bodily Injury to another, Aggravated Fleeing w/Serious Injury or Death, Leaving the Scene of a Crash w/Serious Bodily Injury without Rendering Aid, Resisting Arrest Without Violence, No Valid Driver’s License and an Open Warrant for Failure to Appear.
According to the FHP report, Stevens received minor injuries, an 18-year-old female in her car received serious injuries, and a one-year-old in the vehicle received minor injuries.
In the car driven by Diaz, he was listed as receiving no injuries; however, 71-year-old Don Juan Jacinto, of Graceville, was listed as receiving serious injuries and 39-year-old Jessica Entress of Graceville was listed as receiving minor injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Graceville Police department, Jackson County Fire Rescue EMS.
The Florida Highway Patrol was assisted in tracking and apprehending the suspect by the Jackson Correctional Institute K-9 Team, ACI K-9 Team, Holmes County Correctional Institute, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Graceville Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.