Victim identified in deadly Lee County crash

Published: Updated:
MGN

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. One person died and another suffered critical injuries Saturday evening at the intersection of Joel Boulevard and 12th Street, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The single-vehicle crash happened at around 8 p.m.

The driver, Nelson Oneill Portalatin, 22, of Lehigh Acres, was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, 24-year-old Lehigh Acres resident Sallesky M. Marrero, was flown to Lee Memorial Hospital and remained in critical condition Sunday morning.

Portalatin was driving a 2001 Honda Accord southbound on Joel Boulevard and tried to avoid passing bicyclists, the FHP said. He veered left, encountered slow-moving traffic, and steered right but over-corrected and hit a tree by the side of the road.

The wreck shut down Joel Boulevard in both directions, the FHP said, but the road has since reopened.

It was the second fatal crash that took place in Lehigh Acres within about four hours Saturday.

An investigation is underway to determine if alcohol was involved in this crash. Charges are pending, according to the FHP.

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