Christian Peterson
reporter@riverbendnewsnews.org
A tragedy struck Suwannee County on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at approximately 9:50 p.m. A 2023 Kia SUV, driven by 76-year-old Carolyn Raper from Lake city, was traveling down US. Highway 90 in the eastbound lane. Also in the vehicle were two of her daughters, 8-year-old Sophia and 6-year-old Faithann. At the same time, a 2014 Dodge Ram truck, driven by 33-year-old Martin Lagunes Ramirez, an illegal immigrant residing in Live Oak, was driving westbound on US Highway 90.
According to a press release from the Florida Highway Patrol, for unknown reasons, Ramirez’s vehicle began to travel westbound in the eastbound lane. As a result, he struck the front of the Kia. The truck overturned and Ramirez was ejected from the vehicle, at which time he became pinned underneath the left rear tire of his vehicle. The Kia came to rest facing northeast in the westbound lane. Additionally, a 2022 Toyota Camry driven by a 44-year-old Live Oak man was also traveling eastbound on US Highway 90. Unable to stop in time, the Camry collided with the front of the truck.
All three vehicles caught fire after the collision. Sadly, Carolyn, Sophia, Faithann and Ramirez were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Camry was transported to Shands UF Health with serious injuries. The accident caught the attention of many outside of Suwannee County as, upon being notified by FHP, Immigrations, Customs and Enforcement confirmed that Ramirez was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, who had re-entered the USA through Texas in 2024.
“In Suwannee County, a woman and her two small, adopted children were killed in a head-on collision with Martin Lagunes Ramirez, an illegal alien who’d been previously deported,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote on X. “Ramirez had cocaine on him and was likely drunk while driving in the wrong lane. Ramirez was killed when a third vehicle struck his. Luckily, the driver of the third vehicle survived. We pray for the families of the innocent lives taken at the hands of those who should’ve never been in our country in the first place and for the FHP Troppers who respond to these horrific and tragic incidents.”
There is a GoFundMe page set up for the Raper family, which can be found by searching: “In Loving Memory of Carolyn, Sophia and Faithann.”
“I am asking for help to cover funeral expenses and to provide counseling as we try to heal from this tragedy,” wrote Tammy Bell, the fundraiser organizer. “I also hope to honor their memory by advocating against drug and drunk driving, so that no other family has to endure this kind of loss.”