Deadly I-95 Collision: One Dead and One Arrested for Reckless Driving

Deadly I-95 Collision: One Dead and One Arrested for Reckless Driving

BOCA RATON, Fla. — A fatal collision involving multiple vehicles occurred on I-95, resulting in the death of one man and the arrest of another man on charges of reckless driving.

As reported by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), a 33-year-old named Derek Banhagel was apprehended on Thursday in connection with a deadly crash that took place in February 2022.

According to the arrest report, Banhagel was operating his vehicle recklessly on I-95 south of State Road 798. While traveling at high speeds, he attempted to change lanes, which led to a loss of control and his vehicle going into a spin, according to PBSO.

In an effort to regain control, investigators stated that Banhagel overcompensated, causing his vehicle to enter the general use lanes from the express lanes where he was initially driving.

Banhagel’s car then collided with the rear of a four-door sedan driven by a 63-year-old man named Walter Solis.

Subsequently, Banhagel’s vehicle continued its rotation, striking a third vehicle. Meanwhile, Solis’s sedan also rotated, and he was partially ejected through the front passenger window. The sedan subsequently struck the back of a pickup truck, resulting in Solis’s head and torso colliding with the truck’s tailgate.

Following this, Banhagel’s car collided with Solis’s vehicle once again. Additionally, the third vehicle involved in the crash struck a fifth vehicle.

Tragically, Solis succumbed to injuries sustained in the accident. The Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.

During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that Banhagel had not been wearing a seatbelt and had been driving at a speed of 111 miles per hour at the time of the collision.

Consequently, Banhagel was charged with vehicular homicide, and his bail was established at $100,000.

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