The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reports that Zachary Whiddon, 23, of Freepport, Florida was one of those who died in the I-10 crash early Wednesday morning. A second man, now identified as Nicholas Dwight Fuentes, 63, of Milton, Florida also died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. A third man, Caleb Lee, 20, of Gretna, Florida was listed as having receiving serious injuries in the accident.
According to the FHP, Whiddon was traveling West in the inside lane of I-10 in a 1999 Ford Ranger at the time of the 5 a.m. accident. The second vehicle, a 2015 Volkswagon Jetta was traveling West in the outside lane of I-10 and the third vehicle, a 2018 Hyundai Elantra, was traveling west in the outside lane of I-10.
The Ford traveled off of the roadway onto the grass center median. Upon traveling onto the grass center median, that vehicle overturned and continued traveling in a Southwesterly direction across the east bound lanes of I-10. The Ford came to final rest upright on the south grass shoulder of the Interstate facing south.
FHP officials said while the Ford was overturning in the Eastbound lanes of I-10, this caused the toolbox in the bed of the vehicle to become airborne and collide with the windshield of the Jetta. Upon the toolbox colliding with the Jetta, that vehicle then traveled through the grass center median and across the Westbound lanes onto the North grass shoulder of I-10.
Upon traveling on to the North grass shoulder, the front of the Ford collided with several trees in the wood line. The Jetta came to final rest in the wood line facing Northeast.
While the Jetta was traveling across the Westbound lanes, this caused the Elantra driver to take evasive action. That vehicle then traveled off of the roadway and onto the North grass shoulder of I-10. Upon traveling onto the North grass shoulder, the front right of the Elantra came to final rest on the North grass shoulder of I-10 facing South.