The florida highway patrol has identified 42-year-old garry joseph as the driver behind a devastating wrong-way crash in lehigh acres that left one woman dead and three others seriously injured, including a 2-year-old child in a stroller. Joseph is now facing multiple felony charges, including dui manslaughter, after troopers say he sped down the wrong lane and slammed into a family walking along the road.
According to fhp, joseph was driving west in the eastbound lane of douglas lane at a high rate of speed when he struck two women, a man, and a toddler who were walking in the same lane. The impact was so violent that all four victims were thrown to the ground. After the crash, joseph continued driving, crossing over a driveway and crashing through several residential yards before his vehicle finally stopped.
Troopers say joseph then fled the scene on foot, leaving the injured victims behind. He was later located by authorities and taken into custody. His attempt to escape has added further outrage to a tragedy that has shaken the quiet neighborhood.
One of the pedestrians, 27-year-old resa unwritten, died at the scene despite emergency efforts to save her. A second 27-year-old woman and the 2-year-old girl suffered critical, life-threatening injuries. A 31-year-old man was also seriously hurt. All four individuals are residents of lehigh acres, and the crash has left their families and neighbors in deep grief and disbelief.
Joseph is now facing several charges, including dui manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, and three counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving serious injury. He has been booked into the lee county jail as investigators continue reviewing evidence and working to understand every detail of the incident.
The crash occurred near douglas lane and harold avenue, a normally peaceful residential area now marked by the aftermath of a preventable tragedy. Authorities say alcohol was a factor in the crash and are urging drivers to use extreme caution on the roads. They emphasize that incidents like this—where lives are shattered in seconds—can be completely avoided when people choose not to drive impaired.
