Wednesday, December 31, 2014

TWO OHIO RESIDENTS KILLED, ONE PORT ST. LUCIE MAN INJURED IN FLORIDA TURNPIKE CRASH INVOLVING A SEMI-TRUCK AND TWO PASSENGER CARS



Two killed, Port St. Lucie man injured in Turnpike crash involving a semi-truck and two passenger cars


Michael Allen
12:32 PM, Dec 31, 2014
49 mins ago

OSCEOLA COUNTY — Two people were killed after trying to avoid a prior crash involving a semi truck on Florida’s Turnpike Wednesday, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.
At 6:20 a.m., a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Justin Hartley, of Port St. Lucie, struck the back of a semi truck at mile marker 202 northbound on the turnpike, Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said.

A 52-year-old man driving with a 58-year-old woman and two dogs inside a 2003 Honda Accord headed northbound, swerved to avoid the truck and car on the right shoulder of the road.

The Honda swerved left into the grass median, then swerved back across the northbound lanes, overturning on its driver’s side before striking the back of the semi truck.

The man, woman and two dogs from Westerville, Ohio, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Hartley, 30, was transported with serious injuries to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.