Woman, 86, suffers life-threatening injuries in Cape Coral crash

CAPE CORAL, Fla. An 86-year-old woman is suffering from life-threatening injuries following a Wednesday afternoon four-vehicle crash, the Cape Coral Police Department said.

Maria Pando, of Cape Coral, was hurt soon as she approached a red light at Palm Tree Boulevard heading west on Cape Coral Parkway East, police said. Her passenger, 88-year-old Cape Coral resident William Pando, was seriously hurt.

Maria Pando suddenly accelerated and swerved her 2012 Chevrolet Sonic into the eastbound lanes of the parkway going the wrong direction, police said. She collided with Kevin Michael McGrath, 70, of Cape Coral, who was driving a Kia Soul SUV, police said.

The Kia Soul SUV rolled on its side and hit a 2017 Ford Expedition SUV driven by Tonnie Renne Drake, 55, of Cape Coral.

Maria Pando then drove into an outside lane where she collided with a 2017 Jeep Patriot SUV driven by Daniel Nils Bjorn Wilhelm Wennlind, 43, of Sweden, police said.

Alcohol was not a factor in the collision, police said. It’s unclear what prompted Maria Pando to accelerate and swerve into the wrong lane.

It’s also unclear if anyone is facing charges or citations.

Some of the passengers involved sustained minor injuries from the crash, police said. A total of four people were hospitalized.