DEERFIELD BEACH — A Coconut Creek man died this week in a “chain reaction crash” in Deerfield Beach, authorities said.
Joe Robertson, 71, rear-ended another driver in a 2018 Toyota who had stopped at a red light at the intersection of Northwest 45th Avenue and West Hillsboro Boulevard about 9:40 a.m. Tuesday.Roberston parked his Lexus behind the car in the center lane of West Hillsboro Bouelvard, but didn’t turn on his hazard lights, according to a Broward Sheriff’s Office news release.
Both men got out to inspect the damage and stood along the driver’s sides of their cars, the release said.That’s when another driver, 42-year-old Klivens Estin, approached from behind, realized the Lexus was not moving and swerved to the right to avoid rear-ending the car, the release said. But the driver’s side of Estin’s 2016 Honda hit the rear passenger’s side of the Lexus, the release said.
The Lexus lurched forward, rotated and struck the rear of the Toyota and then slid sideways into Robertson and the driver he had rear-ended at the red light, 42-year-old David Torres-Salazar. Both men fell onto the road, the release said.Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue took both men to Broward Health North. Torres-Salazar’s injuries were not life-threatening, the release said.
Robertson was pronounced dead about 11:25 a.m., the release said.
Estin, the driver who side-swiped the stopped Lexus, stayed at the scene and was treated for minor injuries, the release said.
Detectives said no one was speeding and “excessive speed” was not a factor in the crash. No one involved in the crash appeared impaired, according to the detectives.
Traffic homicide detectives are still investigating the deadly crash, the release said.