Four men were injured and a fifth was killed Tuesday in a crash on Interstate 75 near State Road 326. On Wednesday, as its investigation continued, the Florida Highway Patrol reported that the men were driving from Georgia to Naples after finishing some post-hurricane cleanup work.
Authorities have identified the deceased as Jounel L. Hyppolite, 44, of Haiti.
Those taken to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital for treatment were Anold Drive, 48; Zamor Ovenson, 27; Previl Alexis, 40; and a fourth man who has not yet been identified by law enforcement officials. Those men also are from Haiti.
FHP officials said the men were in Georgia doing hurricane cleanup work and were on their way to Naples at the time of the crash. Troopers are trying to find out if the men live in Naples. No details were available concerning where the men were working in Georgia or what sort of work they were doing.
According to troopers, Alexis was behind the wheel of a Honda Odyssey that was in the inside southbound lane of Interstate 75 Tuesday afternoon. He lost control of the vehicle at the top of a hill by mile marker 358, which is just beyond the SR 326 exit.