5 Dead in State Road 574 Crash: Racing Not a Factor, Highway Patrol Says

TAMPA, FL — A Wednesday night four-vehicle crash on State Road 574 that left five people dead and three injured is not believed to have been caused by racing, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The driver of the vehicle that caused the crash was "traveling a high rate of speed prior to losing control, crossing the median and initiating the crash sequence," Sgt. Steve Gaskins wrote in a Thursday morning email. Racing, however,"is not believed a factor leading to the overnight fatal crash."

According to the patrol, the crash sequence began as Pablo Cortes III, 22, of Brandon was heading west on State Road 574 around 9:47 p.m. Oct. 26 in a Volkswagen Golf. At that time, three other vehicles were heading east, approaching Coconut Palm Drive.

Troopers say Cortes lost control over his vehicle for unknown reasons. His Golf collided nearly head on with a Toyota Sienna driven by Marianela Murillo, 39, of Tampa. The Sienna caught fire following the crash, a highway patrol report said.

After striking the Sienna, troopers say Cortes’ vehicle hit a Toyota Scion driven by Carla Marie Wyman, 54, of Seffner. Debris from that impact, a highway patrol report said, hit a BMW driven by Jamie Javier Ramirez Reye, 38, of Tampa.

Cortes and his passenger Jolie Bartolome, 19, of Lithia died at the scene. Murillo also died at the scene, the report said. Murillo’s passengers John Bernal, 9, and Isabell Bernal, 10, of Tampa died later at a local hospital, the report said. Two other passengers in the Sienna, Luisa Louisa, 15, and Lina Bernal, 18, suffered critical injuries.

Wyman was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, the patrol said. Reye and his passenger Mizoti Fernandez, 26, were not injured.

The crash closed State Road 574 until just after 4 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 27.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol