Five people were killed in a car accident July 27 in Hernando County, including a Plant City man.
Guillermo Chavez, 24, was a passenger of a 2006 Chevrolet, along with four others, when a 2007 International single-unit box truck failed to stop at an intersection with flashing red lights on SR-700 and hit the Chevrolet pick-up truck towing a utility trailer.
The Chevrolet caught fire and burned intensely, according to the the Florida Highway Patrol. The passengers died at the crash. They include Apolinar Nunez, 49, of Winter Haven; Jose Gomez, 53, of Winter Haven; Santos Vega, 47, of Bartow; and Felipe Cruz, 48, of Bartow.
The driver of the box truck was Randy Escobar-Barrera, 22, of Tampa. His passenger was Ariel Baez, 41, of Tampa. Both were transported to Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point; Escobar-Barrera with minor injuries and Baez with serious injuries.
Communications and Electric Inc., the employer Apolinar, Nunez, Gomez, Vega, Cruz and Chavez, released a statement:
“We are extremely saddened by this tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with our lost employees’ families at this time. The loss of five lives is a humbling and heart wrenching experience for all involved. Wingate Communications is a family and we will grieve and work together as families do to get through tough times. There is a memorial fund set up for donations to help support the lost employees’ seven minor children. The Fund’s name is Wingate Communications Lost Employees Children’s Memorial Fund. The fund is being set up on Go Fund Me and through MIDFLORIDA. Donations can be made on the GoFundMe website under the memorial’s name or a donation can be made to the fund through Direct Deposits and ACH transactions to MIDFLORIDA Routing Number 263179804. Memorial Account Number 121914321.”