FHP blames 'road rage' for Sarasota man's death in 4-vehicle wreck
LEE -- A 24-year-old Naples man has been arrested and faces seven charges, including felony vehicular homicide, after a Florida Highway Patrol investigation determined he caused a four-vehicle accident that killed a 79-year-old Sarasota man and seriously injured his 75-year-old female passenger from Sarasota 12 days ago.
The updated roster of charges against Zachary Adam Kureth announced Saturday also includes felony reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, four counts misdemeanor reckless driving causing property damage and the civil infraction impeding the flow of traffic.
The crash occurred at 1:14 p.m. April 19 on southbound Interstate 75 at mile marker 129, according to FHP, which attributed it to Kureth's "road rage."
The FHP investigation revealed a 2015 Chrysler Town and Country driven by Robert Gilman Weinland of Sarasota was southbound on I-75 in the inside center lane while a 2000 Peterbilt semi was southbound in the outside center lane behind two other involved vehicles.
Keruth's 2003 Dodge Caravan was southbound in the outside center lane and a 2006 Ford F-250 was southbound in the inside lane.
The Chrysler changed from the inside center lane into the outside center lane occupied by Keruth's vehicle, which immediately changed into the outside lane and back into the center outside lane directly in front of the Sarasotan's vehicle -- and stopped.
FHP reported the stopped Dodge Caravan forced the Sarasota man to drastically reduce speed and stop his Chrysler, which caused the semi to crash into the rear of it, pushing the Sarasota man's vehicle into the inside lane where it struck the right rear tire of the Ford truck. The semi then struck the rear of Keruth's vehicle.
The Sarasota man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Sarasota passenger was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital.
No other injuries were reported. Alcohol is not suspected as a factor in the accident.
The investigation is ongoing, according to FHP.
This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "FHP blames 'road rage' for Sarasota man's death in 4-vehicle wreck ."