Drag racing may have led to death

GULF BREEZE, Fla. (WALA) - A wreck on Highway 98 in Gulf Breeze left one person dead Saturday night, and the Florida Highway Patrol suspects drag racing may have been involved.

Cars zip along a four lane stretch of Highway 98 near Twin Pine Blvd. at roughly 60 miles per hour. Newly built housing tracts dot the landscape and require turns across this fast moving roadway. At night, there isn't much light except for those vehicles approaching. On Saturday around 6:00 p.m., a husband and wife, Victor and Germaine Bindi, decided it was safe to turn left.

"We had a collision that occurred between the Mustang and the Toyota, and as a result, we had one fatality," said Lt. Steve Preston of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Preston said a black Mustang slammed into the passenger side of the Toyota causing it to spin. The Mustang continued off the roadway taking out a stop sign and striking a guide wire near a power pole. It eventually came to a stop, but not before leaving a trail of debris along the Highway 98 shoulder. Victor survived the crash, but Germaine Bindi died the next day, according to Baptist Hospital officials.

"According to witnesses that observed the westbound Mustang, it appears he was racing another vehicle," said Lt. Preston.

The Florida Highway Patrol said witnesses recalled an orange or bronze Pontiac GTO racing the Mustang.

"And we encourage anyone that has any information on the other vehicle that was possibly racing the black Mustang would ask that they give us a call," said Lt. Preston.

Neighbors of the Bindis said they just moved to Gulf Breeze about a year ago.

The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate this case and has not charged anyone with a crime.