Last year, Flagler County was past the half-year mark–June 15–when it recorded its fourth road fatality. On Sunday, three people were killed in two separate crashes within two miles and two hours of each other on I-95, on either side of Palm Coast Parkway. A Palm Coast teen-ager had been killed in a separate crash Thursday.
The first crash took place at 12:15 p.m. two miles north of Palm Coast Parkway. Ricardo Mosquera, 51, of Orlando, was at the wheel of a 20-year-old motor home, traveling with his wife, Yvette, 49, who was riding in the front passenger seat, and another couple related to them, John Mosquera, 55, and Beatriz Mosquera, 56. They were sitting in the back. The group had left Orlando for a campground in St. Johns County.
Around mile marker 291, the front-right tire blew as the motor home was riding in the outside lane. Ricardo Mosquera lost control, and the vehicle first swerved toward the east shoulder of the highway, struck a road sign, then struck two trees in succession, the second impact causing the motor home to break apart, a Florida Highway Patrol investigator said.
Yvette Mosquera and John Mosquera were pronounced dead at the scene. Ricardo Mosquera had serious injuries and was transported to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach. Beatriz Mosquera was taken to AdventHealth Palm Coast with minor injuries, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.
The Palm Coast Fire Department, Flagler County Fire Rescue and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office had all reported to the scene, as had the Palm Coast Fire Police, which had reduced northbound traffic to two lanes.
The slower traffic caused a back-up.
At 2:36 p.m., just south of Palm Coast Parkway, Charles Stewart was at the wheel of a 2017 Dodge Ram. he would later tell Florida Highway Patrol troopers that he was going 75, on cruise control, and had not been paying attention to the stopped traffic in front of him. He crashed into a 2014 Chevy Malibu, killing Melody Roberts, 42, of Fernandina Beach. She had been a passenger, with a 44-year-old man at the wheel, who was in critical condition and whose name has not yet been released. He was taken to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach.
The Malibu was “completely destroyed,” in descriptions given to 911 dispatchers.
The crash caused a chain reaction, involving a Ford Fusion, with David Grey, 40, of Avon, N.C. , at the wheel–he had minor injuries–and a 2018 Nissan driven by Luis Andres Sanchez Saez, 45, of Winter Garden, with Xavier Rosado, 36, of Orlando, as a passenger. Neither was hurt.
Stewart voluntarily provided authorities with a sample of his blood at the scene. He had not been drinking, an investigator said, but more toxicology is pending, as are charges against him.
That crash caused renewed and more severe back-ups on the highway, with some drivers at one point driving the wrong way on the on-ramp at State Road 100, to get out of the jam. It was past 6 p.m. when all lanes were reopened on I-95.
On Thursday evening, Logan Goodman, 14, a student at Indian Trails Middle School, was killed in a motorcycle crash in Palm Coast’s Woodlands. He had been a passenger. And though FHP will not tally this crash among Flagler’s road fatalities, since it took place in Volusia, Bunnell’s Carl Gandy, 56, was killed on Saturday in a head-on crash on State Road 40.
None of the victims who died in any of the crashes in that four-day stretch were at fault. All had been passengers, and essentially helpless.
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TheTruth says
When people get behind the wheel of a car/truck it can be a weapon and would you please pay attention to what you are doing. Innocent people are dying because of negligent drivers. Speeding kills, carelessness kills.
poorwoman73 says
It says charges are pending against the driver of the truck. Has he been arrested yet? My condolences to the family of the victims. So sad.
Jimbo99 says
“20-year-old motor home”
“Around mile marker 291, the front-right tire blew as the motor home was riding in the outside lane. Ricardo Mosquera lost control, and the vehicle first swerved toward the wast shoulder of the highway, struck a road sign, then struck two trees in succession, the second impact causing the motor home to break apart, a Florida Highway Patrol investigator said. ”
New tires, even proper tire inflation pretty much eliminates this type of tire blowout. Too often an RV sits for months and years in a fenced storage field, the tires rubber rot and fall apart at highway speeds. And if the steering parts are worn or the RV is overloaded, they scuff & drag old tires on the road and that additional friction destroys the tire very quickly over a 100 mile trip from Orlando to the North side of Flagler county at 70 mph. I suspect it will be determined that the cause of that accident & related fatalities resulted from neglected maintenance on a 20 year old RV. Too easy to figure that out. So the owner & driver of the RV is at fault for that accident & fatalities. Very fortunate they didn’t victimize anyone else in this. Lazy & cheap, ignorance or any other excuse that is empowered is no absolution from being accountable & responsible.
The 14 year old passenger on the motorcycle, the operator of the motorcycle was estimated going 100 mph in a neighborhood road and missed the curve. 1 helmet, no idea who was wearing it on the ride. easy enough to take DNA skin & hair samples to determine who wore it ?
https://flaglerlive.com/149353/woodlands-motorcycle-fatality/
Just a thought says
Jimbo, you’re making assumptions. He may have put new tires on the RV that day. If you run over something sharp at 70 miles an hour, the tire could very well blow. How about wait for the investigation before making assumptions.
Diana Lynn McLemore says
Just because the motor home was 20 yrs old does not mean it is not used regularly and maintained well…..how dare you put this man to blame….you have no right !!!
Rick G says
These unfortunate events remind me of my favorite Mark Twain short story “The Mysterious Stranger”. Fate controls our lives. Hope the survivors will do well in their recovery.
Dave says
How does one drive on I 95 and NOT PAY ATTENTION. What The hell People..get off your cellphones and quit texting while driving
Percy's mother says
Going 75 mph down 95 on cruise control . . . not paying attention to the stopped traffic in front of you.
Did I read that right?
Steve says
A race track on this stretch and all of I4 from DB to Orlando. Wheres the FHP. ? Where the County Sheriff’s? ?. This is lunacy and extremely dangerous driving. Do something about it already.
Diana Lynn McLemore says
I-95 is an interstate and controlled by the Florida Highway Patrol….not the county
Born and Raised Here says
Also a good friend of mine, Buck Shaw of Bunnell was killed by a hit and run semi truck on S.R. 40 Sunday night, his wife Rena suffered minor injuries. Buck and I grew up here in Flagler County, and played a lot of baseball together. R.I.P. Buck.
CB from PC says
Yep, you read it right.
75 mph on cruise control not paying attention.
In a sane world, mandatory prison time, involuntary manslaughter or negligent homicide, whichever term is greater.
20 year old motor home.
Tire Dry rot likely, as pointed out by other commentor.
Small consolation for the fatalities involved.
If dry rot and, or worn tire was the cause, another good reason for some prison time.
The only good news is there were no cars or group of motorcyclists in the path.
Geezer says
Jimbo99:
Where did you read that the motor home wasn’t road-worthy?
“Lazy & cheap, ignorance or any other excuse that is empowered
is no absolution from being accountable & responsible.”
The victims being from Orlando and of Hispanic extraction are what
led you to your baseless and ignorant conclusions.
Why don’t you go back to toilet seat tossing and enjoy the rest of your day?
My sympathies to all who were injured or killed in these sad events.
I apologize for the insensitive comments that my fellow readers submit.
poorwoman73 says
Thank you Geezer for responding to insensitivity. The family is devastated Im sure.
FlaglerBear says
If he was ONLY doing 75 on cruise control, then he was going SLOW on that stretch of Highway by usual standards. The average speeds from US1 to US1 in Flagler County are between 85-100 mph; and there is Little to No enforcement. It’s a “no mans land”! Scary! No wonder there’s so many fatalities.
M Weiss says
What’s the difference if he was drinking (“investigators stated alcohol not involved”) or not. It doesn’t change the fact of his negligent action of smashing into a car that had been slowed down or stopped in front of him. Actually, if he had been drinking (if ALOT, not one beer) it would be more defensible or understandable. Too much focus on drinking, not enough on drivers speeding (which is the real plague), driving too close, not taking the dangers of automobiles seriously, and not paying attention.