An 18-year-old Blountstown man lost his life in a two vehicle traffic crash Saturday evening. In addition, four local men wound up in the hospital in critical condition.
Killed was Jose Cruz-Ramirez, a young man who worked as a pine straw bailer in Calhoun County.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, James L. White, Jr., 28, of Leesburg, Georgia, was behind the wheel of a 2002 Ford F150 headed southbound on SR 71 just after 5 p.m. At the same time, Sergio Espinoza, 40, of Blountstown, was driving a 1991 Ford SUV, traveling northbound on SR 71. White traveled onto the west shoulder of the roadway, overcorrected and his pickup spun out of control, traveling onto the northbound lane and into the path of Espinoza’s vehicle, resulting in the collision.
Ramirez was taken to Calhoun-Liberty Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Espinoza, along with three other passengers, Luis Sascala, 32, Toribio Sascala, 26, and Carlos Garcia-Gabriel, 53, of Blountstown, were all taken to area hospitals in critical condition. White sustained serious injuries and was transported to Bay Medical Center.
Tpr. Phillip Spaziante is investigating.
