FLAGLER

Troopers: 3 people killed in separate crashes Sunday

Patricio G. Balona
patricio.balona@news-jrnl.com

Three people were killed in separate crashes in less than a three-hour span early Sunday in Volusia and Flagler counties, Florida Highway Patrol investigators said.

All three crashes remain under investigation, troopers said.

The first crash occurred at 12:05 a.m. at County Road 3 and Broad Street in Pierson where a vehicle southbound on County Road 3 ran off the road and struck a power pole, said FHP's Sgt. Kim Montes.

Darrel Horne, 34, of Pierson was killed when the impact of the vehicle from striking the power pole ejected him from his 2000 Ford sport utility vehicle, The crash remains under investigation and an alcohol test is pending, Montes said.

Then at 12:24 a.m., a Daytona Beach man on foot on Interstate 95 near Palm Coast was struck and killed by a vehicle, troopers said.

The vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash that killed Jimmie Brazell, 56, occurred about one mile south of Matanzas Woods Parkway near Palm Coast, troopers said.

Investigating troopers are working to find out what Brazell was doing in the inside lane of southbound I-95 where he was hit by the vehicle, said FHP's Sgt. Dylan Bryan.

Brazell was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by Jose Gonzalez, 38, of St. Augustine. Gonzalez did not suffer injuries. Brazell died at the scene of the crash, troopers said.

The crash remains under investigation and charges are pending, troopers said.

Troopers responded to a third crash with a fatality 2½ hours after the first crash in Pierson.

At 2:35 a.m. a vehicle driven by Bryan Sevigny, 44, of Port Orange was northbound on I-95 when he slammed into the back of a stopped vehicle which was possibly disabled, troopers said.

Sevigny said he didn't see the vehicle, a 2012 two-door Volkswagen. The collision pushed the Volkswagen off the road, it overturned and caught fire, Montes said.

The driver of the Volkswagen, John Beneduce, 61, of Middleburg, was thrown from he vehicle and died at the scene, Montes said.