(FL) Road Ranger struck and killed in New Year's crash on I-95 in Hollywood

A Road Ranger was struck and killed in a New Year's Day crash on Interstate 95 in Hollywood early Wednesday.

The crash happened shortly after 3:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of I-95 at Hollywood Boulevard.

Florida Highway Patrol officials said the Road Ranger and two troopers were attending to a crash when two other vehicles collided nearby.

The two vehicles, a Honda Accord and a BMW X6, were heading southbound on I-95 when they collided with each other.

The BMW traveled into the express lane and hit the concrete wall before it hit the Road Ranger's Ford F-250 pickup from behind.

That caused a chain reaction, as the pickup struck one of the FHP vehicles, which struck the other FHP vehicle and the Road Ranger, who was standing in the express lane in between the two FHP vehicles, officials said.

The Road Ranger, a 28-year-old man from Pembroke Pines, was pronounced dead at the scene. His name hasn't been released.

The Road Ranger who was struck and killed on Interstate 95 on New Year's Day was described as a loving father and son who always wanted to help, family members said Thursday.

Jose Parra was his wife Staci's superhero.

"My husband was a Road Ranger, a superhero," she said. "Loved his job, loved to help everybody around him."

He was full of energy and very loving.

"Very goofy, loving, family-oriented," Staci Parra recalled. "Loved being home with me and our three dogs ... very happy."

But most of all, Jose was always willing to help.

"He would see someone on the street stranded," his wife said. "He would always jump into action and help anybody."

The 28-year-old — who had worked as a Road Ranger for the past year — died early Wednesday morning after being hit by a car on I-95 in Hollywood.

"It’s hard – very, very hard," Staci Parra said. "I wake up and he’s not next to me."

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened just after 3:30 that morning. Investigators said Jose Parra and two state troopers were attending to a crash when two other cars, headed south on I-95, hit each other.

Officials said one of the cars was pushed into the express lane and hit the concrete wall before it hit Parra’s pickup truck from behind, causing a chain reaction.

The pick-up hit one of the FHP cruisers, which then hit a second cruiser along with Parra, who was standing outside of the vehicle.

"I just want justice, I just want justice," said Javier Parra, Jose's father. "...We were really close, we were more than dad and son. He was my friend. He was my everything."

Investigators told the family the driver that set off the deadly crash had been drinking. FHP hasn’t confirmed that.

"She was basically intoxicated, drunk, coming home from a party, it seems like," Staci Parra said.

The couple just got married five months ago. Staci said her husband never got to live out his dream of becoming a firefighter.

"(I'm) very angry," she said. "People need to be more aware of their surroundings."

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help cover Jose's funeral arrangements.

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