published: Saturday, July 18, 2009

Semi driver charged in death of six men

News-Sun staff report

GLADES COUNTY -- Charges were filed Tuesday charging a Nokomis truck driver with six counts of driving under the influence manslaughter and DUI property damage in connection to a Sept. 29, 2008 wreck.

According to a press release by the Florida Highway Patrol, Ewing Saunders, 67, was driving a 2005 Peterbuilt tractor trailer westbound on S.R. 78 approaching S.R. 29 in Glades County when he failed to stop for a stop sign and entered the intersection.

The semi collided with a 1993 Chevrolet van driven by Jose Saavedra, killing Saavedra and all five passengers. All six men were from Immokalee.

Jose Arellano was the right front passenger, while Sergio Zalazar, Oscar Reyes, Rigoberto Perez, and Lucas Saavedra were ejected from the van. Their locations within the van were unable to be determined.

Lt. Chris Miller of the FHP said all the men were adults.

A blood sample of Saunders was obtained after the crash and sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for analysis.

Testing allegedly revealed a blood alcohol level of .110, well above Florida's presumed impairment level of .08.

Saunders was taken into custody at his Nokomis home Wednesday and booked into the Sarasota County jail. He is being held on $300,000 bond.