A 38-year-old Florida man was killed on Monday afternoon following a devastating crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck on northbound U.S. 23 in Whiteford Township, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim has been identified as Paul M. DeVito, 38, of Plantation, Florida. Authorities confirmed that emergency responders were dispatched to the scene at approximately 1:19 p.m. on June 29, 2026, near the U.S. 223 interchange on northbound U.S. 23.
According to a preliminary investigation, DeVito was driving a white 2021 Toyota RAV4 in the right northbound lane when, for reasons still under investigation, the SUV struck the rear of a trailer being pulled by a white 2024 Volvo semi-tractor.
The semi-truck was being operated by Herney D. Pena-Fajardo, 43, of Lenox, Massachusetts. Investigators said the impact caused the Toyota RAV4 to rotate multiple times before DeVito was ejected from the vehicle during the violent crash sequence.
Both the heavily damaged SUV and DeVito came to rest in a ditch along the east side of the highway. The semi-truck remained under control, and the driver was able to safely bring the vehicle to a stop in the right travel lane without further incident.
Officials noted that traffic in the area was already heavily congested due to a lane closure north of the crash scene at the time of the collision. Authorities also confirmed that both drivers were wearing seat belts, while alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the crash. The SUV’s airbags deployed during the impact.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including local fire departments, Monroe Community Ambulance, Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Division, MDOT, and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office units, which assisted with emergency response, traffic control, and the ongoing investigation.
The crash remains under active investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Services Division. Officials are continuing to determine what caused the SUV to collide with the rear of the tractor-trailer.
