WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — An 8-year-old girl died and several family members were seriously injured Saturday night after an SUV struck a concrete power pole on South Military Trail — a crash in which the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said alcohol or drugs were suspected.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened around 9:52 p.m. on Jan. 17 on South Military Trail, near Cresthaven Boulevard. Investigators reported that a 38yearold man from Margate was driving a 2017 Audi Q7 southbound at a high rate of speed when he attempted to change lanes. The driver swerved to avoid a slower vehicle in the center lane and lost control of the SUV.
The vehicle mounted the curb and continued south before the front end slammed into a concrete power pole, according to the report. The force of the impact caused the rear of the SUV to lift off the ground and spin counterclockwise around the pole, coming to rest on the sidewalk facing west. Moments later, the engine compartment caught fire…