1 dead, 2 injured in crash involving 4 cars and a utility pole in Cape Coral

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rollover crash
Police and firefighters at the scene of a crash in Cape Coral. CREDIT: WINK News

One person is dead, and two people have been injured following a four-vehicle crash, wrecking a utility pole in the process.

The Cape Coral Police Department and firefighters responded to the crash at around 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Zaldeen T. Saleem, 18, attempted to change lanes while driving westbound on East Nicholas Parkway near the Cape Coral Police Station and the New Hope Church.

According to the CCPD, Saleem was traveling above the speed limit. He could not change lanes due to another vehicle traveling on the inside lane of Nicholas Parkway, causing him to lose control of his vehicle where he eventually ended up driving over the grassy median.

Saleem’s vehicle then crossed over onto the eastbound lanes, striking a metal signpost installed on the median.

After hitting the signpost, his vehicle struck the right corner of a vehicle traveling on the eastbound lanes of Nicholas Parkway.

The car then continued over the sidewalk on the eastbound shoulder, striking a cement utility pole with the front and front left of Saleem’s car, snapping the cement pole near the base.

Scene of the Cape Coral crash. CREDIT: WINK News

The damaged utility pole caused power outages to occur in the surrounding area.

The damaged pole lowered the utility line to oncoming traffic, which caused another traveling vehicle to snag onto the hood of the car, causing the hood to be sliced open with the upper painted metal surface split from the lower half that serves as a lid for the engine compartment.

As a result of Saleem’s vehicle crashing into the utility pole, his front left tire sheered off from the car, continuing straight through the front lawn of a home on Nicholas Parkway, causing it to hit a parked vehicle on the driveway.

Saleem was pronounced dead on the scene by the Cape Coral Fire Rescue.

Saleem’s passenger was injured along with the driver of the vehicle traveling eastbound. Both were transferred to a local hospital for treatment.

The Lee County Electric Company was called to assist in repairing the damaged utility pole, which has since been fixed on Friday.

The Cape Coral Police Department wanted to clarify that the crash was caused by speed, not by drugs and or alcohol.

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