Rhode Island man arrested in July 4 crash in Cape Coral
A Rhode Island man is awaiting extradition to Lee County on two counts of DUI manslaughter.
As of Tuesday, Montaigu A. Moselle, 36, of 114 Crescent Road, Pawtucket, was being held at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institute. He was located and detained on Saturday by the Pawtucket Police Department after it was asked to check a location with the chance of Moselle being present.
“He was taken into custody without incident,” Sgt. Paul Brandley, with the Pawtucket PD, said.
Moselle is accused in a July 4 traffic accident that resulted in the deaths of Paul Ortiz, 84, and Joan Ortiz, 78, both of Salem, South Carolina. Additionally, two others were injured during the crash.
Moselle was picked up on a warrant for two counts each of DUI manslaughter, DUI with personal injury and DUI with property damage. He is being held with no bond, pending his extradition.
“Last week, the Cape Coral Police Department major crash investigator completed the investigation and submitted an application for an arrest warrant,” Sgt. Dana Coston, with the Cape police, said.
The investigation found that Moselle had a blood alcohol content of .214 at the time of the accident.
In Florida, any driver age 21 or over is considered “impaired” with a BAC of .08 or higher.
On Friday, the Cape department was advised that the warrant had been approved and was active. The investigator, Cpl. Andrew Satterlee, contacted the Pawtucket police for help in serving the warrant.
According to the Cape police, Moselle was driving a Kia Forte eastbound along Veterans Memorial Parkway when he stopped at the intersection at Skyline Boulevard. At 10:33 p.m., he tried to turn north onto Skyline, entering the path of a westbound Chevrolet Impala, being driven by Paul W. Ortiz, 56.
As a result, the Kia struck the Chevy, which was traveling at about 50 mph, head on.
Witnesses reported that eastbound and westbound traffic had solid red arrows for the turn lanes.
The impact forced the Chevy to the northwest, where it came to rest against the curb. The Kia was forced to the west, where is came to rest in the median on the west side of Skyline, police said.
Moselle suffered serious injuries. He was trauma-alerted to the hospital and later released.
Paul W. Ortiz, of Woodridge, New Jersey, also sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital, along with his three passengers – Paul Ortiz, Joan Ortiz and Kathleen Ortiz, 57, of New Jersey.
Paul W. Ortiz and Kathleen Ortiz were treated and later released.
Paul Ortiz died on July 5 at Lee Memorial Hospital, and Joan Ortiz died on July 17.