Driver in crash that killed 4 kids was allegedly photographing ‘Welcome to Florida’ sign
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) – A New York man was extradited to Florida this month after he was accused of causing a deadly crash when he came to a near-stop on Interstate 95 to take a photo of the “Welcome to Florida” sign, investigators said.
The Florida Highway Patrol booked Marvin Redondo Funes into the Nassau County Jail, where he is being held on charges of “culpable negligence involving the death of four juveniles and numerous other criminal and civil charges,” according to the agency.
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An arrest report obtained by NBC affiliate WTLV detailed what led up to the crash on July 1, 2023.
Troopers said Funes “slowed his vehicle to one-to-two miles per hour” in the center lane of I-95 on the bridge between Georgia and Florida. The vehicle behind his was traveling “between 65 and 78 miles per hour,” according to the report, and could not stop in time.
The four children sitting in the back of Funes’ vehicle, “that was only designed to hold three people,” were killed in the collision. Only one child was wearing a seatbelt, the report stated.
Two 14-year-olds, a 12-year-old and a 10-year-old died in the crash. A family member told WTLV they were driving to Miami to spend the 4th of July holiday with family.
Funes will make his first appearance in a Florida courtroom on Dec. 6.
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