The Cape Coral Police Department responded to an ATV crash at approximately 7 p.m. last night after an ATV rider crashed and was ejected into a canal. The Major Crash Investigator’s synopsis is below:
DATE: January 3, 2018
TIME: 6:54 PM
LOCATION: NE 13th Lane/NE 21st Avenue
CR#: 18-000196
ASSIGNED MCI: Officer D. Gray
VEHICLE 1: Blue 2001 Yamaha Warrior 350 Quad ATV, no Florida registration.
DRIVER 1: De’onte Laqae Mitchell, B/M, 7/18/1998, of 2678 Ford Street, Ft Myers, Florida, 33916.
DRIVER 1 INJURIES: Mitchell suffered serious injury in the crash.
SYNOPSIS:
Vehicle 1, a quad ATV, was driving west on NE 13th Lane approaching the intersection with NE 21st Avenue. Vehicle 1 failed to stop for the stop sign at the intersection, crossed east to west over NE 21st Avenue and then left the roadway on the west side of NE 21st Avenue. Vehicle 1 continued driving west across a vacant field for 127 feet before it struck a berm at the east edge of a canal. Vehicle 1 then launched over the berm and landed in the canal. The driver of Vehicle 1 separated from the vehicle as it launched over the berm and he also landed in the canal. A family member was with the driver at the time of the crash and located the driver floating and unconscious in the canal. The family member yelled for help and a neighbor located at a nearby residence came to assist. The neighbor went into the water and pulled the driver onto the west bank of the canal.
The driver of Vehicle 1 suffered serious injuries in the crash and was trauma alerted to a local hospital where he is in stable condition. The driver of Vehicle 1 was not wearing a safety helmet but was wearing safety goggles.
MCI Officers D. Gray and C. Mills, and DRE H. Esterle responded. CCPD Forensics also responded.
Alcohol/drugs ARE NOT a factor in the traffic crash. Next-of-kin HAVE BEEN notified.
***There are 1 traffic fatalities and 2 MCI usages in our city in 2018. (There are 0 fatalities that are ruled “medical” and the cause of death is not related to injuries in the traffic crash. These 0 “medical” fatalities are not included in the number of traffic fatalities).***
Breakdown of the past several years fyi……
2018: 1 Traffic fatalities, 0 DUI related (2 MCI usages) (this number DOES NOT INCLUDE 0 medical ruled death)
2017: 17 Traffic fatalities, 6 DUI related (46 MCI usages) (this number DOES NOT INCLUDE 0 medical ruled death)
2016: 11 Traffic fatalities, 4 DUI related (35 MCI usages) (this number DOES NOT INCLUDE 0 medical ruled death)
2015: 13 Traffic fatalities, 9 DUI related (43 MCI usages) (this number DOES NOT INCLUDE 1 medical ruled death)
2014: 10 Traffic fatalities, 5 DUI related (40 MCI usages) (this number DOES NOT INCLUDE 2 medical ruled death)
2013: 19 Traffic fatalities, 6 DUI related (43 MCI usages) (this number DOES NOT INCLUDE 3 medical ruled deaths)
2012: 10 Traffic fatalities, 6 DUI related (21 MCI usages)
2011: 11 Traffic fatalities, 4 DUI related (24 MCI usages) (this number DOES NOT INCLUDE 2 medical and 1 suicide ruled deaths)
###
