ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Highway Patrol troopers said a wreck that killed a 24-year-old man and a 66-year-old man was the result of a suicide attempt.
According to troopers, in the early morning hours of Aug. 30, John Joseph Hughes, 24, was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of SR-408 at a high rate of speed and with his headlights off when he crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle.
The impact killed Hughes and the driver of the other vehicle, Charles Penrose, 66. The driver of a third vehicle involved in the accident wasn't injured.
The accident happened near Good Homes Road in Orange County.
Troopers said that they were waiting for toxicology reports, believing that alcohol may have contributed to Hughes driving the wrong way, but after talking with Hughes' girlfriend they believe it was a suicide attempt.
"We understand he was upset over some kind of argument they had and he did tell her that this was his plan to do this. Obviously I don't think anybody would believe that somebody would do this," said Sgt. Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said they have reclassified the crash as a suicide with homicide.
According to troopers, Penrose, when he saw Hughes' car coming at him, attempted to turn out of the way but was hit and his car sandwiched between Hughes vehicle and another vehicle traveling eastbound.
"We've had other crashes before where someone took their own life by hitting a wall, a tree, going off the road into water, but we haven't had one where somebody's actually taken the life of an innocent person," said Montes.
Troopers said they believe Hughes was distraught after an argument with his girlfriend.
They said Hughes' girlfriend came to talk to troopers the day after the accident happened and that she told them he said he intended to kill himself.
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