LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. – The driver and passenger of a truck who drowned after their vehicle crashed into a canal in Lauderdale Lakes have been identified.
The incident happened shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday in the 4000 block of Northwest 33rd Avenue.
Fariles Jean-Louis, 47, was driving his 1997 Ford Ranger truck south on 33rd Avenue with Herold Ductan, 55, in the passenger seat, Broward Sheriff's Office deputies said. Local 10 News has learned the two are brothers-in law.
For an undetermined reason, the truck veered off the roadway and crashed into a canal, deputies said.
Witness told deputies Jean-Louis and Ductan were able to escape the truck. After initially surfacing, both men became submerged in the canal, deputies said.
Sheriff's divers entered the canal and were able to recover Jean-Louis and Ductan.
Paramedics took Jean-Louis to Florida Medical Center, and Ductan was taken to Plantation General Hospital. Deputies said both men were pronounced dead at the hospitals.
Pastor Vilnet Vilse is a relative of the two men. He came from Lake Worth to the crash site Sunday to see the scene for himself.
"When I heard the news, it was a heartbreak," said Vilse. "When I look at the tire mark right there, I would say, 'How did that happen?'"
Jean-Louis and Ductan were both active members of Conservatrice Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale. Their Christian faith was evident as the family gathered to pray and grieve.
Simeon Jean-Louis said his brother leaves behind five children and a wife.
"We are Christians, so the family comes here to help us in prayer," said Simeon Jean-Louis. "His brother respected everyone. Whether you were Christian or not Christian, he always showed respect to anyone."
Antonio Dilus said his brother leaves behind a wife and nine children, who are all in Haiti. Ductan supported them by working as a lawn maintenance man and hadn't seen them in 15 years "because he had no green card, no paper to travel to go over there," Vilse said.
"I miss him," Dilus said. "He's patient. He's loving. All these guys worked very hard."
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