Colorado Man Jailed For Fatal Boca Raton Crash, Drove 102 MPH Say Cops

Police Report Obtained By BocaNewsNow.com As Derek Banhagel Arrested For I-95 Wreck. Posts $100,000 Bond.

BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher

BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2023 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Colorado man is facing a negligent vehicular homicide charge following his arrest for a fatal, multi-car crash that occurred on February 9, 2022 on I-95 in Boca Raton. Police allege Derek Banhagel was driving at least 102 miles per hour when they say he caused the critical crash that involved five vehicles just south of Palmetto Park Road. Walter Solis, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene. He died from “multiple blunt force injuries,” according to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner.

Banhagel was not under the influence of anything at the time of the crash, according to Florida Highway Patrol which is the investigating agency. It remains unclear why he was allegedly driving so fast.

FHP investigators wrote the following about the incident: “This fatal traffic crash occurred on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, at approximately 5:48 P.M The initial traffic crash was a rear-end type collision involving two 4-door sedans, which resulted in one fatality; one non-incapacitating injury. Additional collisions occurred as a result of the initial rear-end collision involving one 4-door sedan and two pickup trucks. The subsequent impacts resulted in two non-incapacitating injuries. The fatal traffic crash occurred on southbound Interstate 95 (State Road 9) approximately .90 miles south of State Road 798 (Palmetto Park Road, within the city limits of Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida. I, Corporal William Leon was notified of the fatal traffic crash by the LWRCC and I arrived on scene at 6:40 P.M.

Derek Roger Banhagel (D-1) of 7090 West County Road 10 North, Del Norte, Colorado 81132 (is) D-1. He (is) a 33-year-old white male (D.O.B: 06/18/88). D-1 had a valid non-commercial Colorado Driver License with no restrictions or endorsements. He was identified as D-1 forensically via DNA evidence obtained through authorized search warrants and during the digitally recorded sworn witness statement provided by Witness 1 (W-1). D-1 was transported by Boca Raton Fire Rescue to Boca Raton Regional Hospital, located at 800 Meadows Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33486 for medical treatment regarding non-incapacitating injuries sustained as a result of the traffic crash.

D-1 was not wearing V-1’s seatbelt at the time of the traffic crash. On Wednesday, February 9, 2022, Corporal Derissier attempted to obtain a digitally recorded sworn statement, post-Miranda, from D-1 at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. D-1 declined to provide a sworn statement, post-Miranda. There was no indication of alcohol and chemical and/or controlled substance usage on the part of D-1. Corporal Derissier asked D-1 for a voluntary sample of his blood for the purpose of determining the presence of chemical and/or controlled substances which he agreed to provide.”

HERE’S HOW POLICE SAY THE CRASH OCCURRED

Upon completion of the investigation, FHP said this is how the crash occurred. (We note that police-speak is not necessarily grammatically perfect — we are not editing the crash report. However, anything in parentheses indicates our clarification). Crash Synopsis: V-1, V-2, V-3, V-4 and V-5 were traveling south on southbound Interstate 95 south of State Road 79. V-1 was traveling in the inside express lane. V-2 was traveling in the inside general-purpose lane ahead of 1. V-3 was traveling in the inside center general-purpose lane ahead of V-1. V-4 was traveling in the inside general-purpose lane, directly in front of V-2. V-5 was traveling in the outside center general-purpose lane ahead of V-1. D-1 failed to maintain safe control of V-1 while attempting to change from the inside express lane to the outside express lane at a high rate of speed. This resulted in V-1 rotating in a clockwise direction towards the outside express lane. D-1 then over-corrected to the right, causing V1 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction which caused V-1 to travel through the express lane plastic delineators, into the inside general-purpose lane. The aforementioned was determined via analysis o V-1’s ED as well as a video recording of the traffic crash provided by an independent witness.

Consequently, V-1’s front portion collided with V-2’s rear in the inside general-purpose lane. Post-collision with V-2, V-1 continued to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, resulting in V-1’s rear right quarter panel to collide with the rear left of V-3. Post-collision with V-1, V-2 rotated in a clockwise direction as D-2 was partially ejected out V-2’s front passenger window. V-2’s passenger side then collided with the rear right of V-4’s tailgate. D-2 had partially ejected and subsequently his head and torso areas also collided with V-4’s tailgate. The aforementioned was determined as blood/body tissue was observed on V-4’s tailgate. Post-collision with V-3, V-1 was redirected in a southerly direction as it began to rotate clockwise. V-1’s front right side collided with V-2’s front right side for a secondary collision between V-1 and V-2. Post-collision with V-1, V-3 traveled in a westerly direction as it enter the outside center general-purpose lane, and subsequently its right side collided with the left side of V-1 came to final rest facing a northeasterly direction, straddling the inside and inside center general-purpose lanes.

V-2 came to final rest facing a westerly direction, straddling the inside general-purpose lane and the outside express lane. V-3 came to final rest in a southerly direction, straddling the inside center and outside center general-purpose lanes. V-4 came to a controlled stop facing a southerly direction upon the inside general-purpose lane. V-5 came to a controlled stop facing a southwesterly direction, straddling the outside general-purpose lane and outside paved shoulder.”

While Banhagel lists Colorado as his home address, his family owns a home in East Delray Beach, according to Palm Beach County Property Appraiser records. A residence on Chukker Road was recorded by the Palm Beach County Jail as his local residence.