FLORIDA: Christmas Day crash killed four in Highlands County

Christmas day tragedy killed four when one driver was wrong way and hit another vehicle head-on

FROM WPTV

FROM WPTV — LAKE PLACID, Fla. — UPDATE: The third of the four victims killed in the crash in Highlands County on Christmas Day has been identified as 46-year-old Maggie Lara of Okeechobee. Lara was a passenger in the Buick that crashed head-on with a Toyota Xa, killing its driver, 56-year-old Judy Mounts of Port St. Lucie, and a passenger in her vehicle, 16-year-old Destiny Franz of North Fort Myers.

Florida Highway Patrol reports that Troopers continue to investigate a two-vehicle crash on State Road 70 in Highlands County resulting in 4 fatalities.

Grandmother and her granddaughter killed by that plowed into their car head-on

HIGHLANDS COUNTY, FLA. – According to the FHP, a Buick driven by an unidentified person was traveling westbound in the eastbound lane, overtaking other westbound traffic on State Road 70, west of County Road 721, and approaching a curve.

Christmas Day four killed in DUI two-vehicle crash Highlands County Fla FHP photo 2

A 2006 Toyota Xa traveling eastbound on State Road 70 east of County Road 721 was approaching the same curve and the vehicles crashed head on.

The Buick overturned into a ditch and became engulfed in flames.

Destiny Franz, left, and her grandmother, Judy Mounts, were in a Toyota that was hit by a Buick operated by a male driver, still unidentified due to being consumed in the wreck he caused by careless and reckless passing on a curve. The officials were unable to identify the model of Buick he was driving for several days due to the intensity of the fire he caused when he killed his passenger and Franz and Mounts who were in the Toyota he hit head-on.

The driver of the Toyota, 56-year-old Judy Mounts of Port St. Lucie, and a passenger in her vehicle, 16-year-old Destiny Franz of North Fort Myers, were killed in the wreck. MORE

At the age of 56, Judy Lorene Mounts was killed from a head-on collision on December 25, 2018, in Highlands County, Florida with her granddaughter Destiny Pearl Franz, age 16.

Judy Lorene Mitchell was born in Columbus, Ohio.  Judy enjoyed spending time with family and friends, pit bulls, camping, and mudding with four wheelers.  She loved going out for karaoke and dancing with family and friends.

Four dead in Christmas Day DUI crash Highlands County Fla. FHP photo 1

Judy is survived by her daughters, Christy Mitchell, Plymouth, OH, Linda Anderson, Columbus, OH, and Jerri Lynn Mitchell, Ft Myers, FL; mother, Pauline Mitchell, Sebastian, FL; sisters Becky Mitchell, Sebastian, FL, and Eva Stuckey, Vero Beach, FL.  She is predeceased by her husband Billy Mounts; father Herbert A. Mitchell, and brothers Ben H. Mitchell and James A. Mitchell.

She was proud of her 10 grandchildren, Logan Tackett, Shavonne Tackett, Noah Tackett, Kaleb Miller, Landon Osborne, Dennis Ritchie, Andrew Ritchie, Angel Ritchie, Cameron Anderson, and Destiny Franz.

She will also be missed by her many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

She will be laid to rest at the Winter Beach Cemetery, Winter Beach, Florida.  Service will be graveside January 4, 2018, at 11:00.