Lehigh Acres man, 44, succumbs to injuries from Punta Gorda I-75 crash

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Photo via Dee Hawkins-Garland, of Charlotte County Fire and EMS

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. One person succumbed to injuries Saturday from a crash involving 16 people June 1 on Interstate 75, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Joseph Migot Turtulien, 44, of Lehigh Acres, was killed when his Ford F-250 overturned at mile marker 164, according to the FHP. He was driving with five people in the cab and 10 people in the bed of the truck when a large white truck switched lanes in front of the Ford.

Turtulien tried to slow down and steer left as the Ford approached the other truck at a high rate of speed, State troopers said. He then drove onto the center grassy median and attempted to steer back onto the road.

The Ford swerved multiple times across lanes, went into the median again and overturned, ejecting the passengers in the bed of the truck.

The crash sent seven people to various hospitals with serious injuries. Nine people suffered minor injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

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