Man falls to his death on Palmetto Expressway

A 28-year-old man fell to his death from a traffic sign catwalk onto the Palmetto Expressway on Friday morning.

Enrique Vicente Olivera fell onto the southbound lanes of the Palmetto Expressway near Bird Road before a truck hit him after midnight, police said.

"The driver of a Ford Ranger pickup truck struck what he thought was debris in the road," said Lt. Pat Santangelo, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. "He stopped and realized it was a body."

Authorities found a spray can with silver paint next to Olivera's lifeless body.

The vandalized traffic signs above where police found the body, indicate the direction to Kendall, the neighborhood where Olivera resided.

Santangelo said graffiti vandals are known to climb onto the traffic sign structure by making their way on catwalks that connect the signs to other more accessible parts of the roadway.

Earlier this week, authorities removed large graffiti on damaged traffic signs on Interstate 95 in downtown Miami on Thursday and North Miami on Tuesday.   

_{Photo by Freelancer Raul Torres}

 

Miami's graffiti community is in mourning. For years Olivera's pseudonym was Merk.

 

MiamiGraffiti.com-- R.I.P MERK (Late 1998-99)

Comments

[tina]

I guess he should have grown up and gotten a job instead of spray painting signs. Serves him right for breaking the law and being stupid.

[justonewk]

what do you mean karma rules??? this guy didnt kill anyone for him to die like that. you guys are ridiculous

[MR.]

MAD PROPS....REST IN PEACE B......

[annemarie]

yea it was dumb what he was doing.. but i dont think he deserved to die..everybody does stupid things so dont go out there and judge him.. RIP im all the way behind you

[mr.culo]

wow.... that was stupid..... u should be at home sleeping with ur girl

[formulacane]

was he using flat, gloss, or semi gloss paint? Oil or water based?

[AG]

I'm surprised at these anonymous posters and how ridiculous their hateful posts are. Jeers to all of you and may some cosmic payback befall all of you with your negativity. Death is nothing to mock.

[alej]

It was wrong what he was up to.But not to die for. R.I.P.

[Concerned Taxpayer]

Hopefully the possibility of death will deter future vandals, since the price tag of $46 K for the last "tagging" stunt on I-95 didn't seem to phase them.... Again, we're stuck paying the bills for the acts of our "brilliant" society....

[mario]

The majority of u here are worst than he is! Its true you sow what you reap the bible says God cannot be mocked.

I disagree with what he was doing there are others means of him expressing his artistic talent than spray painting a sign. However it should not be punished by death.

I am saddened to see so many of you that are happy about him being killed. Unfortunately it reflects our city and just as it apllies to individuals the law of sowing and reaping also appllies for cities. And we as a city our reaping the hate and rascism we have sowed for years.

I will do as Abraham did and beg for Gods mercy because the majority of u on here are worst than him and bigger cowards!

[TheSojourner]

What a horrible way to learn a lesson. We can only hope that others who destroy public and private property will wise up. It was only a matter of time before something like this would happen. And remember, judgement is up to the Living God.

[gcab1]

This is horrible news. He should not have been breaking the law in the first place, I agree. However, all those who feel happy about his death are committing a worst crime than he did.
Wake up Miami! This is not something you should not be laughing at.

[TylerJames]

No tears from me, nor I suspect the vast majority of readers. Mario, you're sincere enough: why don't you go round and comfort the family. I couldn't do it. I'd probably laugh.

[David]

I NEVER feel bad or sorry for stupid human beings. They chose to do these dumb things; NO one forced this idiot to do this. When you choose THIS, you automatically take responsibility for ANY and ALL consequences therein!

[Mayito]

What a stupid way to die. Frankly, I am tired of this graffiti vandalism. This death should be the poster boy to deter future criminals into doing something similar.

[Jeff]

I agree with Tina and disagree with "justonewk." I think tagging is selfish and destructive and can cost not only tax dollars to repair the damage but wasted gasoline on the part of a green tourist who gets lost and has to find his/her way back. Some graffiti artists have actually been commissioned by business owners to create beautiful murals on the sides of their buildings. If this unidentified 28-yr. old had just approached businessmen/women about decorating their properties, we probably would have seen something a lot more attractive and less wasteful.

[Moi51]

Wow...I'm just flabbergasted on the negative comments all along this blog. He's still a human being regardless of his stupid behaviour.

[Mario]

I would be more than glad to comfort his family if i knew who they were. It would not be the first nor the last time that i do it. Unfortunately the vast majority of u are so out of touch with the youth culture that you dont have the slightest clue as to why young people do this type of thing.

graffiti is one of the 5 elements of Hip Hop and young people "tag" with the hope of becoming famous in their own hip hop world. The express way is a great place since hundreds of thousnads of people will see it daily.

I do not tag and I am not in agreement with the destruction of public property. The county usually provides places for these young people to express themselves with out breaking the law. But i do have 3 sons and if any of them ever took this up i would be furious at the comments some of u are leaving here. I pray that none of you that are leaving these hateful comments ever have any of your children, grand children, nephews ect ect become taggers. Cause you know what comes around goes around!

[theIbis]

I feel terrible - for the guy that ran him over. You do something stupid like this and that is the risk you take. If you're 28 and that dumb my only hope is that he didn't have any kids. Not because I would feel bad for them but I hope his line ends with him. Read your Darwin, this is the way the world works. It's the thinning of the herd. Nothing personal, just science.

[theIbis]

Mario - 28 is not "young." As much as I appreciate hip hop - tagging is vandalism and while I prefer him arrested this is what happens when you are a total and complete moron. He took a risk and suffered the worst possible outcome - his fault, he died doing what he wanted to do so congrats to him.

I plan to educate my kids in right and wrong...I plan to raise them to respect property and people - if my kids tag then I will be the first one to turn them in - if that is what it takes for them to learn.

"Culture" should not be about defacing public and private property or risking your life to do so.

[kellton watts]

This is ridiculous. This young man is killed while practicing his hobby. and these "cowards" are making nasty comments but the "taxpayer" just got ripped-off for 2 trillion dollars allegedly by folks like madoff. With that kind of literal vitriol they act like they would rip someone headoff for a real crime. That's why the international community doesn'nt support the U.S. overseas endeavors not because of graffiti taggers but because of the taxpayers' response.

[Screw yall]

You're all a bunch of insensitive jerks. Low class, with no value for human life. A death is a death, be it fighting BS war in Iraq, or running a red light...

[Fagots]

You guys that are laughing at this is are truly idiots, people should do what they want.. Its sad pathetic people are :S

[ALLGODSCHILDREN]

IM SURE EVERYBODY THAT HAS POSTED A NEGATIVE COMMENT IS A PERFECT HUMAN BEING AND ATTENDS CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY. BEFORE YOU JUDGE SOMEONE LOOK IN THE MIRROR BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH HE MADE A MISTAKE HE DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE. GOD BLESS.

[Jem]

Coming from someone who saw the accident in person, this is no laughing matter. It's pathetic that people feel the need to belittle his death. What I saw on the expressway made me sick and I only offer my condolences to his family.

[hiphopanonymous]

that is a terrible way to die..i used to paint, pay taxes, and do night bombs like that..sad to see so many people acting out in such a disgusting way. this world is cruel to those not like them..didnt know him personally but my condolences to the fam and...wow i cant get the image out of my head.. rest in peace!

[Mike A]

WOW, THIS IS INCREDIBLE. . .HOW CAN PEOPLE BE SO COLD HEARTED AND CRUEL??THIS GUY DID NOTHING TO NO ONE AND YOUR GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT KARMA??GRAFFITI IS MORE THEN GANG RELATED BULLSH*T, ITS A CULTURE.ITS ART.

ALL YOU BLUE COLLAR WORKERS CAN EAT A DICK AND CHOKE ON IT.

B^ ]

[Ylopez]

First of all none of you even know him, maybe he wasn't even up there doing graffiti. I know his sister and he was never known to do anything like that. No one knows what happened and why he was up there. No one has the right to point the finger. All of you saying these hurtful things, should pray to God this never happens to a family member of yours. It is a very sad day for his family. So all of you really need to get a life. How sad. May he rest in peace.

[Jennifer]

I am amazed at the insensitivity of the people of this community, if you wanna bring Darwin into this, let's start with you guys. You are demonstrating here is nothing short of vile. Pure vile. I can only hope that should you or any member of your family ever demonstrate some sort of bad judgement and that is blasted into the face of our community, you receive exactly what you are showing to the Oliveria family on this blog. SHAME ON YOU!!!! Obviously, you think that you are the only people that are intelligent enough to log onto a computer. Kiki has a family, a very devastated family, which in no way is condoning what he was allegedly doing at the time of his death. God forbid any of them may come across this blog one day. Put yourself in their shoes for half of a second. Remember that feeling, then post.

All of you who are posting negative comments and praising his death, please have your obituaries and those of your families emailed to me so that I can blast you and yours when you die! Just think for a minute how many times you or someone in your family has done something that might bring embarrassment to your family then speak out blasting Kiki. None of us are perfect least those who find joy in others devastation.

Let me quote one of the posts "KARMA".

My love, prayer and thoughts are with all those that Kiki left behind.

[e7j7l7]

R.I.P. kiki

[J ("EnJoy")]

How can all of you be so cruel? Kiki died and he didn't deserve to die, no matter what. There are real criminals out there who deserve to die, and they don't. He left a family in mourning. He left his friends without them having a chance to say good-bye. My deepest sympathy goes out to those who knew Kiki and his family.

[Dick Hertz]

thanks I was late

[Alaina]

I cannot believe the things some of you are saying. This was a person with friends & family now in morning, have a little respect. This was a horrible way to die, shame on those who find humor in this! RIP Kiki, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!

[Truth Hurts]

Alot of the people like crying about taxpayers this and that and are nothing but welfare losers or make 15$ an hour in their 40's. Very hateful comments towards this person who died.. graffiti writers are the easiest people for the public to pick on and talk $hit, let me see all you tough talking people go out and handle some drug dealers or better yet how about you go out and try to "citizen arrest" some graffiti writers yourself? The internet provides nothing but a bunch of wimps and nerds the chance to be "tough online".

[Rich]

What has this world come to that people find humor in another man's death. If you could see the pain and agony that his family went through when they found out, i think you would realize how wrong you are. I was there, and I would never wish that upon any off you. Please have a little respect!

[LDMonster]

I never tagged or anything, but I draw and paint. I know there is a lot of debate with the whole tagging thing, but when someone dies it's not about the tagging anymore. I know a lot of you are just writing cause you can write anything here without a face. If you were in the street you wouldn't be saying this to his family. You might think it, but not say it. So show some respect. I'm not saying to agree with what he did or all that. Imagine your brother or someone in your family does something he shouldn't and passes away. You might say he was an idiot, but would you want others to say that about someone in your fam? Come on. Let's be genuine. RIP MErk. Didn't know ya, but respect ya any case. You were an artist.

[Grieving Mother]

To all those who expressed their cruel and vial comments regarding my son's unfortunate death, may GOD condemn your souls with all the pain and suffering of myself, his sister, family and friends by tenfolds. To those who expressed their sorrows and sympathy of all us suffering his lose, may you be blessed for all eternity. Thank you.

What was broadcasted regarding this incident, was not factual and further investigation is pending.

[friend of the family]

all i have to say is you people are ridiculous. put yourself in our situation. you wouldnt be laughing. r.i.p kiki youll always be with us

[jack]

u guys dont feel wat we feel, we have graff in r blood and u guys r leavin shity ass mesages like that, REST IN PEACE MERK

[BigMike]

Alright, a lot of you must have some sad and horrible lives to wish death on other, you did not live this mans life and being happy that he died. and for all of you saying you have no remorse for death of stupid people, you are probably way more stupid. so lock up you're feelings from middle school when you used to get bullied and show this man some respect and dignity you animals. Rest In Peace young Merk.