PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — One person is dead and others are seriously injured after a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Dixie Highway and Ocean Avenue in Lantana.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) said the crash happened at approximately 11:12 a.m. on June 23, 2026.
According to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, responding units found two vehicles with extensive damage. They say it took 10 minutes to extricate three people from the heavy wreckage.
One person was pronounced dead on scene. Two others were transported by TraumaHawk helicopters to a local trauma center.
PBSO says a Jeep Wrangler was traveling southbound on Dixie Highway north of Lantana Avenue when it struck a Chevy truck before fleeing south toward Ocean Avenue at a high rate of speed.
Southbound traffic was stopped at Ocean Avenue for a red light when the Jeep failed to slow or stop and struck the rear of a Mazda CX5, sending it southeast and rotating it nearly 180 degrees before it struck a Toyota 4Runner.
The Jeep continued south, striking a Honda Civic from behind, which was then pushed into a Ford F350 before rotating and clipping the left rear of a Freightliner box truck. The Jeep then struck the left side of a Toyota C-HR before coming to rest. Debris from the collision also struck a Toyota Prius.
Jose Bedoya, 67, of Boca Raton, the driver of the Mazda CX5, was killed in the crash.
The driver of the Jeep Wrangler, Charles Velbis, 34, of Lake Worth Beach, suffered severe injuries.
Velbis was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time of the crash, according to the crash report.
The driver of the Honda Civic also suffered serious injuries.
The drivers of the Toyota 4Runner suffered minor injuries.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is urged to contact Investigator Josh Schneider at Schneiderj@pbso.org or 561-681-4535.
