FORT PIERCE − A 70-year-old driver who died after being struck during what police said was a series of collisions was identified June 17 as Gary Johns, of Fort Pierce, according to Fort Pierce Police.
Johns died after being taken to a hospital following the June 16 crash, which involved a total of seven vehicles and resulted in the closure of Edwards Road and part of U.S. 1 for about seven hours beginning shortly after noon, police Maj. Eric Chan said June 17.
Chan said the incidents started as a Kia Sportage driven by Rocco Bhagarattie, 37, of Port St. Lucie, headed south on U.S. 1.
The Kia sideswiped a Dodge Caravan in the area of Farmers Market Road, which is south of Edwards Road, and made a U-turn.
“When he made a U-turn, he sideswiped another vehicle, which was traveling north on U.S. 1,” Chan said.
Chan said Bhagarattie then sideswiped a power pole.
“When he approached the intersection where the final crash occurred, he crashed into the back of a Cadillac, which caused a chain reaction of other vehicles being hit,” Chan said.
Johns was identified as the Cadillac driver.
Chan said Bhagarattie, whose vehicle rolled over, has not been charged.
“We believe this was a medical episode right now at this point, but the investigation is still ongoing,” Chan said.
Chan said Johns died at the hospital.
Bhagarattie and a third person also went to the hospital, but the extent of their injuries wasn’t immediately clear.
Takisha Brianvil, 48, of Fort Pierce, on June 17 said she became acquainted with Johns in recent years.
“I met him a few years back when he started working at the arcade in Lakewood Park,” she said. “I would frequent that pretty often and we just became real, real close.”
She said Johns later began working at another arcade.
“He was just the most sweetest person you could ever want to meet,” Brianvil said.
She said she last spoke to Johns about two weeks ago at a Dollar Tree store.
“He just had a heart of gold,” Brianvil said. “He was genuine.”
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Driver dead after seven vehicle crash on U.S. 1 identified as 70-year-old man
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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