A woman and a child from West Palm Beach were killed and a man was in critical condition after a crash with a speeding driver in unincorporated Palm Beach County, deputies said.
Alejandro G. Rodriguez, 46, of West Palm Beach, was driving a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta near the intersection of the 7800 block of South Military Trail and Miner Road shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday. Passengers in the car were Grechy Y. Almaguer-Perez, 43; a 10-year-old boy and 2-year-old boy, whose names were not released.
A relative in a GoFundMe online fundraiser identified Rodriguez and Almaguer-Perez as the parents of the boy who died, Diego, and the toddler who survived, Fabio. Rodriguez is on life support after the crash, according to the GoFundMe.
Dawn Michele Howard, 54, of Lake Worth Beach, was speeding north in a 2020 Lexus on Military Trail when the traffic light at the intersection changed to yellow, and she sped up to drive through before it turned red, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said.
Howard continued speeding north on South Military Trail, “entered a sweeping left hand curve” and crashed into the back of Rodriguez’s Jetta that was driving in the same direction in the same outside lane, PBSO said.
Howard’s Lexus went over the eastern shoulder of the road and onto the grassy edge of the road, where it rolled over. She had minor injuries and was taken to Delray Medical Center by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The impact forced Rodriguez’s Jetta to continue north in the outside lane, finally stopping outside of the lane on the edge of the road. Almaguer-Perez was pronounced dead at the scene. The 10-year-old boy was pronounced dead at Delray Medical Center, PBSO said.
Rodriguez was taken to Delray Medical Center and was not expected to survive as of Friday, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The 2-year-old boy was seriously injured.
Charges stemming from the crash are pending, PBSO said. The crash report indicated Howard was suspected of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
A deputy was assigned to watch Howard while at the hospital as a suspect in the crash, according to a probable cause affidavit. Howard became enraged when the deputy told her she could not go to the bathroom unsupervised and allegedly slapped the deputy’s wrist. The deputy then handcuffed Howard to the hospital bed, the affidavit said.
As of Friday, Howard is facing one count of battery on a law enforcement officer stemming from the incident at the hospital, court records show.
She was released from the Palm Beach County jail Thursday afternoon without having to post any bail. She was ordered not to consume alcohol or illegal or non-prescription drugs and will be randomly tested, court and jail records show.
Howard’s attorney did not return an email seeking comment Friday.
