A 55-year-old Punta Gorda man died Saturday afternoon after his car was struck from behind while stopped at a red light in Fort Myers, with a 10-year-old boy and a 48-year-old woman riding with him both suffering non-incapacitating injuries in the same crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the crash happened at 3:51 p.m. at Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Daniels Parkway, where the Punta Gorda man was stopped in his 2023 Kia Forte along with four other vehicles at the light, according to the Punta Gorda Sun. A 66-year-old Fort Myers motorist driving a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country hit the Kia from behind; FHP says that driver may have been experiencing a medical emergency and suffered a non-incapacitating injury in the collision. The Punta Gorda man's identity had not been released as of Saturday night.
The scale of the emergency response made clear just how serious the wreck was. South Trail Fire, Fort Myers Fire and Lee County EMS declared a Mass Casualty Incident at the scene after two people became trapped inside a vehicle and had to be mechanically extricated by firefighters, according to UC Breaking News - SWFL.
Southbound Daniels Parkway Shut Down for Hours
The crash forced the closure of all southbound lanes of Six Mile Cypress Parkway at Daniels Parkway, according to NBC2 News.
Whether the 66-year-old driver's possible medical emergency shields him from liability is now a live legal question. Under Florida vehicle negligence law, a driver who experiences an unanticipated medical event, such as a blackout or cardiac episode, can assert a “sudden medical emergency” defense to negate liability, provided there was no prior warning or medical history indicating an impending loss of consciousness, according to Avard Law Offices. Establishing civil negligence becomes legally complex if investigators confirm the loss of consciousness was unprovoked and unexpected.
A Notoriously Dangerous Stretch of Road
Federal crash records show U.S. 41 topped Lee County's list with 83 fatal crashes between 2020 and 2024, according to the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System. A legal review describes heavy commuter and commercial traffic, congestion and rear-end collision risk at the intersection of Daniels Parkway and Six Mile Cypress Parkway, per Wolfson & Leon.
Lee County Traffic Fatalities
Lee County recorded 122 traffic deaths in 2024.
Saturday's crash occurred on Daniels Parkway. No charges or citations connected to Saturday's crash had been announced as investigators continued working to determine exactly what happened at the intersection.
