A car accident in Winter Haven killed two and left one other injured after the car became submerged in water. One of the dead includes grandson of former Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden, Taylor Jeffrey Bowden.
The driver of the vehicle, Rafael Fernandes de Auguiar-Valini, also died during the accident. The only survivor of the crash was Robert Lewis Edwards who was found in the backseat.
The Mitsubishi was spotted by a truck driver around 8 a.m. but the crash occurred sometime after 2 a.m. The three men left Indigo’s bar around 2 a.m. and were headed to a friends when they hit a wooden fence and landed in an embankment that caused their car to flip upside down into the water.
The car wasn’t seen earlier because the embankment isn’t visible from the road. The truck driver was only able to spot the car due to the height of the truck’s cab.
There were no signs of life when the first responders showed up but noises were heard coming from the back seat of the car which was not completely submerged in the water. Around 11:45 a.m. rescue divers found Edwards suffering from hypothermia notes the Associated Press.
Bobby Bowden said in a statement according to the Orlando Sentinel, “Our whole family had just celebrated Christmas together in Panama City, as well as celebrated T.J.'s graduation from Florida State just three weeks ago. We will cherish those last memories together with T.J. forever."
No other cars were involved in the accident and authorities say alcohol is most likely a factor.