Witness Needed In Fatal Accident

38-Year-Old Wauchula Man Died Following Foggy Crash

By JOAN SEAMAN
of The Herald-Advocate

A potential witness to a fatal crash on Saturday morning is asked to help the Florida Highway Patrol. According to the FHP report of Tpr. Jesse DeBoom, the incident happened shortly before 8 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. 17 and REA Road in heavy fog. Jimmy Lyn Giles, 38, of Wauchula, was critically injured in the crash and transported to Florida Hospital Wauchula, where he later died from his injuries. Information received by homicide investigator Cpl. Louis M. Smith Jr. indicates there was a small dark, possibly maroon, vehicle traveling east on REA Road behind one of the vehicles in the crash. Another witness used the cell phone of the female driver to call for emergency assistance. The possible witness, or anyone with additional information, is asked to contact Cpl. Smith at 1-800-993-4618, ext, 262, and leave a message. According to the preliminary report, a 1993 Kenilworth tractor-trailer driven by James Edward Smith, 55, of Mauk, Ga., traveling southbound in the inside lane of U.S. 17 was braking and began to jackknife while entering the intersection. Smith’s vehicle collided with the left side of the 1998 Dodge pickup driven by Giles, which had entered the intersection. The tractor-trailer came to rest facing north with its trailer facing west across the southbound lanes of U.S. 17 south of the intersection.
After the impact, the pickup rotated to the west shoulder of U.S. 17, traveled back and through the intersection, through a ditch on the northwest side of the intersection, coming to a final rest facing in a westerly direction on the west side of U.S. 17. Giles became the fifth fatality on Hardee County roads in 2011.
A 2004 Chevrolet Impala in the used car lot the northwest side of the intersection received
about $300 damage from debris from the crash. The pickup had about $5,000 damage and the
tractor-trailer about $15,000. In an unrelated incident of Saturday afternoon, a 48-year-
old Zolfo Springs woman died in an accident on SR 62 just west of the Hardee county line.
According to the report of FHP Tpr. Sean McCormick, Luis Paulin-Hemandez, 51, of
3546 Poplar St., Zolfo Springs, was eastbound on SR 62. Just past Duette Road, he lost control of the vehicle, rotated counterclockwise and left the roadway on the north shoulder.
The 2004 GMC 1500 then entered the ditch and overturned, with the right rear and
roof striking a tree, before it continued in the ditch on its left side. It came to rest facing east
on its left side in the ditch, said the trooper's report.
Isidora Paulin, 48, of the same Zolfo Springs address, died at the scene. The driver received minor injuries. Passenger Mario Paulin, 23, was transported to Bayfront Medical Center with critical injuries. Passenger Jorge Paulin, 21, was taken to Florida Hospital Wauchula with minor injuries. Neither the driver, nor any of the passengers was wearing a seat belt. Charges are pending further investigation.

Semi-trailer hits truck on U.S. 301

Ronny Adalid Mejia Mungua
had a run-in with a Mac truck
Saturday evening and lived to
tell about it.
A Florida Highway Patrol
investigator said Mungua, 25,
pulled out in front of the truck,
driven by46-year-old Michael
Joseph Bennett at the intersection
of County Road 1471 and
U.S. 301. Bennett swerved to
avoid plowing into Mungua, but
instead hit the rear of Mungoua's
1996 GMC Jimmy.
Bennett's truck rotated and
then overturned on its side in
the southbound lanes of U.S.
301, blocking traffic for about 40
minutes.
Both drivers were sent to
Shands for minor injuries.
Ocala Star Banner
Marion County
April18, 2011

"Man killed in collision with Publix semi"

LAKELAND --

A 23-year-old man was killed and his father seriously injured in an accident early Sunday morning.

Lakeland Police say Juan Carvajal, 23, of Kissimmee, was driving a 2006 Ford F150 pickup when he collided with a Publix tractor-trailer.

The accident happened at 2850 New Tampa Highway about 12:30 a.m.

Police say the tractor-trailer was entering the roadway from the Publix warehouse, located on the north side of New Tampa Highway. Carvajal was traveling eastbound on New Tampa Highway.

Officers say the tractor-trailer was entering the eastbound lane and was not completely straightened out when the pickup impacted the trailer on the passenger side. The impact resulted in the pickup truck becoming embedded underneath the trailer.

Carvajal was pronounced dead at the scene. His father, a passenger, 51-year-old Luis Carvajal Gonzal of Leesburg, was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Police say the men were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The driver of the semi was not injured.

for more information please visit: http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2011/march/221021/Man-killed-in-collision-with-Publix-semi

A Flagler County sheriff's deputy whose motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer Aug. 5 has been released from the hospital.

Sgt. Michael Van Buren was sent home Wednesday afternoon, said Capt. Mark Carman. Van Buren's main injury was a compound fracture of his lower left leg, Carman said.

The deputy underwent surgery and will require a few months of physical therapy, he said. He doesn't have a return date for work yet.

Van Buren, 42, was responding to a crash while riding his motorcycle when the accident occurred. He was riding west on Palm Coast Parkway when he collided with a tractor-trailer coming from the northbound Interstate 95 exit ramp, officials said.

The driver of the truck was not hurt. The Florida Highway Patrol has not said whether the driver will be charged.

For more information please visit: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Flagler/flaFLAG02081709.htm

If you've been involved in an automobile, motorcycle, or trucking accident please call our office 24/7 for a free case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

Flagler deputy injured in traffic accident

A Flagler County sheriff's deputy responding to a crash on a motorcycle was injured Wednesday when a tractor-trailer struck him in Palm Coast, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Sgt. Michael Van Buren, 42, was riding west on Palm Coast Parkway when he collided with a tractor-trailer coming from the northbound Interstate 95 exit ramp, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debra Johnson.

The crash involving Van Buren occurred shortly before noon as the sergeant was responding to a minor crash in which no one was injured. He suffered several fractures and other injuries and was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler where he will remain overnight, Johnson said.

Van Buren, who is the supervisor of the Flagler County sheriff's Traffic Unit, has worked for the Sheriff's Office since 1987, Johnson said.

The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the accident but said Van Buren suffered facial injuries when his motorcycle crashed into the tractor-trailer. The driver of the truck, Roy L. Sanner, 66, of Ohio was not hurt, said FHP Lt. William Leeper.

Charges against Sanner are pending a full investigation, Leeper said.

For more information please visit: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Flagler/flaFLAG01080609.htm