WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A high-speed collision in unincorporated West Palm Beach resulted in two deaths and serious injuries – and now homicide charges after an allegedly stoned driver was found to be going twice the speed limit, in the rain, on bald tires.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) Vehicle Homicide Unit said on the morning of August 25, 2024, 21-year-old Joaquin Martinez was driving a gray 2014 Dodge Charger northbound on Military Trail near Purdy Lane at a high rate of speed when he lost control. The Dodge Charger slid and spun out, off the east shoulder of the roadway, where it eventually collided with vegetation and a power pole.
The sheriff’s office said the impact was so severe that it ejected the rear-seat passenger, 21-year-old Joevante Haynes, who was found dead in a nearby parking lot. The front-seat passenger, Walterking Francios, was pronounced dead at St. Mary’s Medical Center. It was his 18th birthday. PBSO said a third passenger, an 18-year-old boy sustained internal injuries and a broken neck as a result of the crash.
Martinez was assessed for impairment at St. Mary’s Medical Center, where he exhibited signs of impairment and admitted to being a daily marijuana user, according to the investigator. Toxicology reports showed significant levels of Delta-9-THC, Hydroxy-THC, Cannabinol, Carboxy-THC, and Amphetamine in his system…