Singer Crashes & Dies on a Wakulla County Curve; Dad Asks County for Warning Lights & Signs
Updated On: November 10, 2026
After singer CJ Beach, 22, died on a Wakulla County curve, his father wants warning signs and lights there.
CJ Beach, a 22-year-old country-rock singer from the Tallahassee area, died early Saturday after his car left a curve on Rehwinkel Road in Wakulla County. Now his father is asking neighbors to push county leaders for warning lights and signs at the curve.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened at about 1:15 AM on Saturday, November 7. A 22-year-old driver was heading north on Rehwinkel Road near Oakwood Trail when his vehicle left the road and struck several trees. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers said he was not wearing a seat belt and that the investigation is ongoing. The patrol’s first report did not name the driver. His father, Charles Beach, later confirmed it was his son.
Who He Was
Beach performed solo and with his band, CJ & The Deadmen, and posted videos of his songs online regularly. Hours before the crash, he played a Friday-night set at The Salty Donkey in Panacea. He also founded a local music festival, which marked its fifth anniversary this April, giving emerging musicians a place to play. Tallahassee radio station X101.5 called him “one of the most talented young musicians from our area in a long time.”
His Father’s Appeal
In a Facebook post, Charles Beach thanked the community for its outpouring of support. He then asked people to contact county commissioners to request warning lights and more signs on both sides of the curve. He wrote, “CJ’s wreck was in the same spot as the last wreck there.” He said he is asking “in memory of my son.” We could not independently verify the earlier crash, and we found no response from the county as of publication.
Investigators have not said what caused the car to leave the road. Speed, road conditions, and other factors have not been reported, and we won’t speculate.
Why Curves Are a Known Problem
Federal Highway Administration analyses have found that more than a quarter of fatal crashes occur on horizontal curves, mostly run-off-road or head-on crashes. Curves also have about three times the crash rate of straight road. In an FHWA evaluation of improved curve signs and chevrons on rural two-lane roads, non-intersection crashes fell about 18%, injury and fatal ones about 25%, and crashes in the dark by 35%. Results at one curve will vary.
What This Could Mean Legally
In Florida, crash reports are generally confidential for 60 days, available only to those involved, their insurers, and their attorneys. That’s one reason details are limited right now.
If a road’s design or lack of warnings played a role, the responsible government agency matters. Florida allows some negligence claims against governments, but with notice requirements that must be met before suing, caps on damages, and limits on claims about planning decisions, such as whether to install a sign. Claims over a known hazard that wasn’t maintained or marked can be treated differently. A prior crash at the same spot can be relevant to whether officials knew about a danger. Nothing indicates a claim has been filed, and facts will matter.
Wrongful death claims in Florida are generally brought by the estate’s personal representative within two years.
Our condolences go out to CJ Beach’s family, friends, bandmates, and the Tallahassee music community.
If a loved one died in a crash on a road with known hazards, the independent attorneys we connect you with can help you understand whether the road, another driver, or someone else may bear responsibility.
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