Hurricane Ian fatalities: 2 die in Putnam County car crash on flooded road
A Putnam County man and woman became two of Northeast Florida's first known Hurricane Ian-related fatalities trying to navigate across local roads Thursday evening in standing water, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The pair, a 37-year-old man from San Mateo and a 30-year-old woman from Palatka, were eastbound on Cracker Swamp Road about 5:30 p.m. when the male driver lost control and their car hydroplaned onto the grass shoulder, the Highway Patrol said.
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The car overturned in a water-filled ditch, and the two were killed, according to the FHP crash report. The report did not indicate if they died from the impact or drowned but said they were not wearing seat belts. No names were released per Florida's Marsy's Law.
Investigators noted the road had standing water due to the inclement weather.
The state hasn't reported any official number of deaths related to the storm thus far.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 2 dead after accident on flooded road caused by Hurricane Ian
