Tamarac Fire Rescue {photo by Aiden Palmer}
By Kevin Deutsch
An 18-year-old Coral Springs man died nearly a week after being involved in a two-vehicle crash in Tamarac, authorities said.
Detectives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit said the crash that killed driver Michael Mills Jr. happened May 21 around 6:42 p.m. near the 8100 block of Southgate Boulevard.
A preliminary investigation revealed that driver Nicole Rivera-Vazquez, 18, of North Lauderdale, and a juvenile passenger were traveling east in a gray 2023 Toyota Corolla on Southgate Boulevard in the outside thru-lane, detectives said.
At the same time, Mills Jr., who lived on Coral Ridge Drive, and passenger Jaileen Mitchell, an 18-year-old female from Tamarac, was also traveling east on Southgate Boulevard in a gray 2011 Infiniti G37, according to BSO.
According to investigators, Rivera-Vazquez attempted to change lanes by maneuvering the Toyota into the inside thru-lane. At some point, the rear driver’s side of the Toyota struck the front passenger side of the Infiniti, and authorities said both cars entered the center median.
Once in the median, the Infiniti struck a tree and came to a final rest. The Toyota continued through the median, hit a small tree, and traveled into the opposing westbound traffic lanes, where it came to a stop facing eastbound, detectives said.
Tamarac Fire Rescue paramedics rushed Mills Jr. to Broward Health North to treat his extensive injuries. Mitchell, the female passenger in the Infiniti, was also transported to an area hospital for treatment.
On May 27, BSO detectives were notified that Mills Jr. had died from his injuries.
Detectives said excessive speed was not considered a factor in the crash. The investigation is ongoing.
Got News? Send it to Tamarac Talk. Don’t miss reading Margate Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, and Parkland Talk.