A crash sends a Port. St. Lucie man to the hospital in critical condition

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - A Port St. Lucie man is in critical condition after he was involved in an accident early Saturday morning.

Lieutenant Tim Frith from the Florida Highway Patrol said 29-year-old Derek Zugel was driving his 2010 Cixi JT southbound on US-1 just before 2:30 a.m. when a car smashed into his vehicle about one quarter of a mile north of La Buona Vita Drive. 

Deandre Katkavich, 23, of Jupiter was behind the wheel of his 2009 Toyota Solara when he rear-ended Zugel, who was traveling in the outside lane.

The two vehicles ended up in a southwesterly direction. The Solara came to a halt in the outside lane and the JT came to a final resting place on the west shoulder.

Katkavich suffered minor injuries and so did his passenger Abdel Jones, 21, of Port St. Lucie.

Zugel was transported to Lawnwood Medical Center.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.