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Published on Tuesday, December 7, 2004
in the Daytona Beach News Journal
Traffic accidents on Interstate 95 and in DeLand which left five people dead and 10 injured made this weekend the deadliest non-holiday weekend in Volusia County this year, authorities said.
Three people -- Daniel Truelove, 22, of Port Orange; Christopher Frattin, 21, and Constance Samuals, 17, both of Ormond Beach -- had stopped to help another motorist Saturday on Interstate 95 south of International Speedway Boulevard, troopers said, when they were struck and killed by a car driven by a New Smyrna Beach woman.
On Sunday night, Albert Ross, 19, of Auburn, Ala., was killed when a sport utility vehicle in which he was a passenger rolled over on I-95 one mile south of Old Dixie Highway. And 20-year-old Robert Strong of DeLand was killed Sunday morning when he was thrown from his truck, DeLand police said.
"We have not seen those type of non-holiday deaths, especially when there is no extra traffic expected," said Trooper Kim Miller, local spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol.
In the 7:13 p.m. Saturday accident, troopers said Jody Lancaster of Edgewater was northbound in the right lane of I-95 when a vehicle driven by Margaret Casto of New Smyrna Beach swerved to avoid another vehicle and struck her from behind.
Casto then lost control of her car and struck Truelove, Frattin and Samuals, who were standing on the shoulder of the road attempting to assist a motorist involved in a separate accident, troopers said.
"The sad thing is that they were being good Samaritans," Miller said. "But we must remind drivers that it is such a danger to be out on the highway helping people."
Miller said motorists "rubber-necking" pose a threat to pedestrians who are trying to help. If drivers want to help, they should pull off the road as far as possible and stay in their vehicles while calling for emergency help, Miller said. "You can also be a good Samaritan by being a witness and speaking to law enforcement when they get to the scene," Miller said.
Miller said Courtney Walker, 21, of Alabama was driving a sport utility vehicle at a high rate of speed northbound in the left lane of I-95 at 3:48 p.m. Sunday when he lost control as he approached slower traffic. Walker spun clockwise on the right shoulder of the road, overturning and ejecting passenger Albert Ross, 19, also of Alabama, Miller said. Ross was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he died, she said.
Walker was arrested by the FHP and charged with lying to investigators at the scene about who was driving at the time of the accident. He was released Monday on his own recognizance, booking officers said.
Earlier Sunday morning, 20-year-old Strong died in a single-vehicle crash after being thrown from his truck, DeLand police said. Strong was driving on South Adelle Avenue when he tried to pass a car, police said. His truck left the roadway, rolled over and hit a tree. He was thrown about 100 feet from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, according to a police report.
Traffic accidents in the first six days of December have left eight dead, said EVAC ambulance spokesman Mark O'Keefe. The other three dead include two Ormond Beach residents -- 71-year-old Bruce Mining killed Friday and 59-year-old Joan Aliano killed Wednesday -- both on State Road 40.
"But this weekend has been the deadliest one on record for the year," O'Keefe said.