Update: 40-year-old Osiel Montoya-Aguilar who was killed in the accident leaves behind a wife and 4 children 10,5,3,and 7 months old.
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Lakeland, Florida – At approximately 1:15 pm, on Saturday, July 16, 2016, a black, 1999 Ford F150, driven by 34-year-old Jacob W. Herrington, of Grove Place, Lakeland, and a green 1997, Oldsmobile, driven by J. Guadalope Gonzalez-Lopez, of Pine Village Circle, Lakeland, were both traveling east on Rockridge Road in Lakeland.
Gonzalez-Lopez began to stop to make a left turn onto Gator Creek Ranch Road when the F150 rear-ended the Oldsmobile.
The Oldsmobile was pushed approximately 35 feet past the intersection and came to final rest in the westbound lane of Rockridge Road. There was significant damage to the rear-end of the Oldsmobile.
Gonzalez-Lopez and two passengers sitting in the back seat had to extricated from the Oldsmobile. The driver side rear passenger in the Oldsmobile died at the scene.
Those passengers were:
- 40-year-old Osiel Montoya-Aguilar, of Speer Creek Park, Plant City (driver side rear passenger – deceased)
- 34-year-old Nicholas Ramirez, Fancy Farms Road, Plant City, stable condition at Lakeland Regional Health (Front passenger)
- 42-year-old Zacharias Balthazar, of Nichols Road, Lithia, critical condition at LRH (middle rear passenger)
- 25-year-old Elmer Garcia, of Barron Drive, Plant City, critical condition at LRH (passenger side rear)
At this time in the investigation, impairment on Herrington does not appear to be a factor. However, speed and distraction may have played a role.
The airbag in the F150 deployed and Herrington was wearing a seatbelt.
Gonzalez-Lopez and Ramirez appear to have been wearing seatbelts, however the rear passengers were not wearing seatbelt.
Herrington was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm which was located on his person during the investigation.
The crash investigation is ongoing.
