MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A driver died Friday morning after a crash in northwest Miami-Dade sent a pickup truck over a barrier wall, onto the southbound lanes of the Palmetto Expressway, and now detectives believe the victim’s death was an act of suicide, authorities said.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the crash was reported at 6:24 a.m. in the area of Northwest 54th Street and 77th Court.
“According to investigators, a pickup truck was traveling eastbound on NW 54 Street when it continued through the intersection and collided with a concrete barrier wall,” MDSO said in a news release. “The vehicle went over the barrier wall and entered the southbound lanes of State Road 826 (Palmetto Expressway), where it struck another vehicle.”
Deputies confirmed that the driver of the pickup truck, who they identified as 26-year-old Reinerio De La Torre Toledo, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition. Detectives said they will not be releasing his name.
According to Detective Argemis “AC” Colome, a gun was recovered at the scene and detectives believe De La Torre Toledo took his own life.
“He saw obviously the wall was broken and cars on top of each other and then he saw the rescue starting to arrive,” said Mercy McClusky, who works nearby. “The detective that came to talk to us said that there were bullet casings also.”
All southbound lanes of the Palmetto Expressway were shut down after the crash, but have since reopened.
MDSO’s Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
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