Rollover crash kills teen; three others injured

State police today continued to investigate a Monday morning rollover crash in Lee County that left one teen dead and three Collier County residents hospitalized.

Florida Highway Patrol reports state careless driving caused a one-car wreck shortly before 5 a.m. Monday on U.S. 41, south of Island Park Road, in San Carlos Park.

Troopers said a 2002 Toyota pickup was traveling south on U.S. 41, when the driver, Rolando M. Quintana Jr., 20, of 15020 Maple Tree Drive in East Naples, lost control. The vehicle's undercarriage struck the curb, and Quintana over-corrected while trying to re-enter the southbound lanes, police reports say. FHP Lt. Lisa Hunter said Quintana lost control due to careless driving.

The truck then traveled across the southbound lanes while rotating counter-clockwise, causing it to overturn, reports stated. The truck went across the raised median and all three northbound lanes while continuing to overturn, until it landed on its left side, partially trapping the driver.

Both rear passengers — Brittany M. Downie, 17, of Naples, and an unidentified Hispanic male — were ejected from the vehicle onto the pavement. The unidentified male was pronounced dead at the scene, and police are not releasing his name or address until family is notified, Hunter said late Monday.

Brittany was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital, where she was initially in serious condition. She was later upgraded to "stable," said Lee Memorial administrative supervisor Alex Reichert.

Reports state the rear passengers weren't wearing a seat belt, although the driver and front-seat passenger were wearing seat belts.

Quintana was partially ejected and trapped under the truck until rescue crews took him to Lee Memorial, where he remained in critical condition late Monday.

The truck's front seat passenger, Angelina P. Zappa, of East Naples, suffered minor injuries. She was treated and released from the hospital, Reichert said.

Monday's crash was being investigated by the FHP's homicide unit. It is not yet determined whether Quintana will face charges, Hunter said. Any pending charges would not be issued until Quintana is released from the hospital, Hunter added.