Late Monday evening in Cape Coral, Fla., three people died in a horrific three-vehicle crash on Burnt Store Road near Janis Road, a collision the driver of one of the vehicles said he’ll never forget.
The Cape Coral Police Department says the crash occurred around 8:25 p.m. on Monday, October 20, when a south-bound truck crossed the center line and struck a north-bound truck pulling a trailer. The impact damaged the north-bound truck, which spun out and left the roadway, then the south-bound truck collided with an SUV that had been traveling behind the trailer truck. The SUV rolled and came to rest facing the opposite direction.
Authorities have identified the victims: the driver of the south-bound truck was 48-year-old Laura Lee Beasley. In the SUV were 77-year-old Gary Lee Galiher and 79-year-old Norma Jean Ralston. All three died at the scene. The driver of the north-bound trailer truck sustained minor injuries and is cooperating with investigators.
One local resident, Bryan Greenwell, said he heard a loud impact while at home and rushed outside, thinking his house had been hit. When he arrived at the scene, he found the SUV occupants — Ralston and Galiher — still holding hands despite their wounds. “She looked like she was reaching for him, and he was holding her hand,” he recalled.
Beasley, according to her loved ones, was a devoted mother, grandmother and wife, often known simply as “Nana” by her grandchildren. Her loss, together with the older couple, has sent shockwaves through the community. Neighbors are now redoubling calls for safety improvements on the two-lane stretch of Burnt Store Road, which has seen multiple fatal crashes this year.
The investigation is ongoing. The police department’s Traffic Homicide Unit is examining the scene and the vehicles involved. At this stage, speed does not appear to have been a factor, but the reason the truck drifted across the center line remains undetermined.
The crash forced the closure of Burnt Store Road for several hours into the night before reopening early Tuesday morning. The county’s leadership has announced plans to meet with the city to fast-track widening and safety upgrades along the remaining 5.7-mile segment, estimated to cost between $185-$190 million.
In the aftermath, neighbors and witnesses reflect not just on the fragility of life, but on the image of two people holding hands amid tragedy — a moment captured by a stunned bystander that will linger in the memory of a community now grieving.
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