Dad remembers hero paramedic son killed in Turnpike wrong-way crash
CUTLER BAY - From his Cutler Bay home, Frank Urrutia shared photos of Zeke Urrutia, his 23-year-old son who was killed Thursday morning in a wrong-way crash on the Florida Turnpike in Miramar.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a woman driving an SUV in the wrong direction collided with Zeke's vehicle, killing him. The wrong-way driver is hospitalized.
Zeke, a paramedic who aspired to join the Miami-Dade Fire Department, is being remembered by his father as a young man dedicated to saving lives.
"He was a great young man, and all he wanted to do was save lives," Urrutia said. "He believed saving lives was the most honorable thing one could do."
Wrong-way accidents continue to claim hundreds of lives annually, many in Florida.
Eleven years ago, Gary Catronio's daughter Marisa and her best friend Kaitlyn Ferrante were killed in a wrong-way crash on the Sawgrass Expressway.
Since then, Catronio has advocated for measures to prevent wrong-way crashes. His efforts have led to the installation of flashing wrong-way signs across South Florida.
These signs alert wrong-way drivers, notify authorities, and trigger electronic message boards to warn other drivers.
"In 2023, we had a 95 percent success rate," Catronio said. "It's a success that we've been able to save as many lives as we have."
Tragically, the system did not prevent Zeke's death.
As funeral arrangements are made, Urrutia reflected on the values his son held, inspired by the words of South Florida journalist Steven Sotloff, who was killed by ISIS terrorists, "Everyone has two lives. The second one begins when you realize you have only one."
