Third Person Dies In Deadly US-27 Crash
WESTON (CBS4) - A deadly crash on U.S. 27 Thursday has claimed a third victim, and for the first time on camera, a survivor's mother is speaking out about this "tragic loss of life."
Anthony Perez, 19, of Miramar died Friday at Broward Medical Center from his injuries. FHP released the name of the second victim who died earlier Friday. He was identified as Dairon Ledesma, 15, also from Hialeah.
Perez was one of three people killed, with four others seriously injured, when a tractor-trailer slammed into two cars on U.S. 27 early Thursday morning.
"My son is completely distraught because of what happened," said the mother of one survivor. "He's recuperating. We feel terrible about this loss of life. It's a devastating tragedy, this loss of life. My heart goes out to the family."
She did not want to be identified but she told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "It's been hard for me to be even 100 percent gratified that I have my son when I think of the loss of such young lives that have or had their whole lives ahead of them."
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. about 6 miles north of Interstate 75.
Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Mark Wysocky said Placid Ferdinand, 42, was heading north on U.S. 27 in his 18-wheeler when he noticed an Acura Integra and a Honda Civic stopped side by side on the highway ahead of him.
Ferdinand hit the brakes but was not able to stop in time before crashing into both of the cars.
On Friday, the survivor's mother wanted to speak out because she said the two cars were not side by side. She said her son and others on the scene told her that the Honda Civic was in front of the Acura Integra.
"They should be investigating why didn't that truck stop?" asked the survivor's mother. "Why didn't he use that empty lane to go around them? If I have an empty lane or even the median where I can avoid hitting someone, I would use it if I were paying attention."
"I hope that there will be a thorough investigation by FHP," she said. She said she had hired an attorney who was looking into the circumstances surrounding the crash and whether the truck driver might have been distracted by something just before the accident happened.
Two of the passengers in the Integra were killed in the crash. According to police, 19-year-old Ileana E. Mira from Hialeah was one of the victims.
The 18-year-old driver, Raymon Garcia, received serious injuries. Garcia is a student at Miami Springs High School.
Emily, also a student at Miami Springs High school, said Garcia had "a nice car so he drove pretty fast sometimes."
"Guys do a bunch of stupid stuff all the time," Emily said. "I know a lot of people who race but I didn't think much of it, you know. I know it's dangerous but I never thought he would get into a car accident."
The driver of the Civic, 18-year-old Angel Lazo, also received serious injuries. His passenger, 19-year-old Matthew Foreman, was treated and released.
Three of the injured were taken to Broward General Medical Center, including Perez; the fourth was airlifted to North Broward Medical Center.
Ferdinand and his passenger, Sandy Ferdinand, 47, received only minor injuries.
The mother of Matthew Foreman said she was told both cars were stopped on the road because one driver was telling the other driver he was having car trouble and was pulling over.
However, FHP is investigating whether both vehicles were stopped and may have been racing.
All six teenagers are from the Miami area, CBS4's Joan Murray reported.
