FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Three people were killed and eight others were injured after a sport utility vehicle struck a black bear on a rural, two-lane road in Hendry County, minutes before another vehicle struck the disabled SUV.
The crash happened shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday at the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation.
A woman was driving her SUV south on Snake Road when she struck a 300-pound black bear.
According to Seminole police, eight people traveling together in three pickup trucks pulled over to help the woman.
Minutes later, a Mercedes-Benz traveling south on the dark road that connects Interstate 75 to Big Cypress struck the disabled SUV, sideswiped one of the trucks and rolled over several times, striking seven of the good Samaritans and killing three of them.
The three who died were identified Monday as Yoel Menendez, 44, Ricoberto Llanes, 43, and Alain Navarro, 46, all of Miami-Dade County.
All of the surviving victims were taken to hospitals in Broward County. Six were taken to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, while two others were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood.
The driver of the Mercedes-Benz was among those hospitalized. He was identified as Hollywood resident Gary McInturff.
McInturff was treated for minor injuries and released. Four other victims have since been released, but three remained at Broward Health Medical Center as of Monday night.
The black bear also died.
Seminole police are investigating the crash.
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