WINK Digital Team
•7/14/2026
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — A man was sentenced to 28 years in prison after causing a serious crash while driving drunk and without a license through a red light at a busy Fort Myers intersection.
Ismael Jose Cruz was adjudicated guilty and sentenced for the crash that injured five people, including two children, according to a press release. The crash happened on Sept. 7, 2025, at Michael G. Rippe Parkway and U.S. 41.
Cruz drove his Mercedes-Benz into a pickup truck driven by a father who had his two sons, ages 9 and 8, with him. The impact was so severe that all three were seriously injured.
The youngest victim suffered extremely traumatic injuries that still impact him. Cruz and his passenger were also injured.
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The Lee County Sheriff's Office conducted an extensive investigation into the case. Cruz had his blood alcohol level checked and had a .229, which is almost three times the legal limit of .08, at the time of the crash. This was his first criminal or traffic offense.
Immediately following the crash, many witnesses rushed to the victims and helped them until paramedics arrived minutes later. Those Good Samaritans are credited, along with the paramedics, law enforcement personnel and medical staff at Lee Memorial Hospital and Golisano Children's Hospital, with helping to save the lives of the victims due to the traumatic injuries they suffered in the crash.
