OKEECHOBEE – Following a fatal accident at the intersection of Berman Road and SR 70 on Aug. 17, Okeechobee residents and officials continue to call for a traffic light at that intersection.

"A little over a year ago, the State of Florida gave us a $1 million earmark for Berman Road,” Okeechobee County Engineer Stef Matthes told county commissioners at their Aug. 20 meeting. He said the county advised Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) that they would like to use that money for signalization at Berman Road and State Road 70.

 “That earmark turned into a grant,” he continued. He said the grant required the county obtain LAP certification in order to access the money. (LAP certification demonstrates they meet federal requirements to administer  transportation projects.)

“About three months ago, we asked the DOT, ‘How about if we just take that money and give it to you and let you use the money and fast-track signalization?’

“We will continue to push that and see if that is an option,” he said. “We do have money that we hope to be available to signalize the intersection.”

“We want to send our thoughts and prayers out to the family of the young man killed in the traffic accident at Berman Road and SR70,” said Commissioner Brad Goodbread.  “We’ve been working on that for a long time, getting that intersection signalized.

“This has been on our radar for several years," he said.

He said the most recent FDOT traffic study found a light is needed there. “FDOT already did the traffic count,” he said.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol report, an Okeechobee man was in a traffic crash on SR 70 and N.E. 128^th Avenue. The FHP report stated a 2015 Freightliner truck, driven by a 40-year-old Margate man, was southbound on N.W. 128^th Avenue. A 2025 Kia, driven by a 24-year-old Okeechobee man was eastbound on SR 70 within the inside lane. The FHP report states the southbound semi pulled into the path of the eastbound Kia. The front of the Kia struck the left side of the semi’s trailer.

The FHP report did not identify the drivers, but on Aug. 18, the Okeechobee High School band posted a memorial tribute to Luis Rivera: “Today, our band family is carrying a heartbreak that is difficult to put into words.

“Luis was so much more than a percussion instructor. He was an alumnus of our band program, a mentor, a friend, and someone who poured his heart into the students and the program he loved.

“If you knew Luis, you knew his smile. You knew his energy. You knew the way he could light up a room and make people feel encouraged just by being there. He was always excited to see the students, excited about their progress, excited about this year’s show, and excited to be part of the band family.

“He believed in these students. He celebrated them. He pushed them to be better while making sure they knew they were capable of so much more than they sometimes believed themselves to be.

“Luis leaves behind a space in our band family that cannot simply be filled. But he also leaves us with something that can never be taken away: the joy, encouragement, passion, and love he gave so freely to everyone around him.

“As we move forward, we will carry Luis with us in every rehearsal, every performance, every laugh, every high-five, and every moment when a student finds the confidence to believe in themselves.

“We will remember his smile.

“We will remember his passion.

“We will remember how excited he was about his students and this band.

“And we will remember how much he loved being part of it all.

“This year, we will play for Luis. We will perform for Luis. We will carry his spirit with us.

“And we will Love Like Luis.”