Lombard man dies in crash with uncle

A Lombard man, described by family members as a “great guy,” was killed in a car accident Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla., Florida state police officials said.

Michael J. Lisuzzo, 39, was riding in the front passenger seat of a Toyota Camry driven by his 64-year-old uncle, John J. Jamison of Riverside, when they turned in front of a Lee County sheriff's deputy on U.S. Route 41 about 11:35 p.m., said Capt. Terry Davis of the Florida Highway Patrol.

The deputy, who was heading north on the highway, struck the Camry while going about 45 mph, Davis said. The impact sent the Camry spinning off the road and into an embankment in front of the Island Park Plaza.

Lisuzzo and Jamison were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash and were killed on impact, Davis said.

Sheriff's deputy Karl E. Rudzitis was not seriously injured in the accident, Davis said, and was transported to Lee County Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.

Davis said the deputy did not have his emergency lights activated at the time of the crash and was on routine patrol.

He said alcohol tests are pending for both Lisuzzo and Jamison.

“He was a great guy who would be there whenever you need him,” Lisuzzo's uncle Peter Lisuzzo said of his nephew early Wednesday. “This is definitely a tragedy.”

Peter Lisuzzo said his nephew was a construction worker who spent years traveling from state to state working on projects.

He said the younger Lisuzzo, who was not married and did not have any children, was in Fort Myers visiting his grandmother at the time of the crash.

“It's really a shame,” Peter Lisuzzo said. “I just spoke with him on Christmas and he said he was heading to a construction project in Hawaii after visiting his grandmother. It's definitely tragic.”