Quick thinking saved four lives

If a truck driver and firefighter hadn't intervened, an entire family would have perished in their burning car, investigators say.

By AMY HERDY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 1, 2002

TAMPA -- From the cab of his Peterbilt truck, Aaron Madir watched a Buick hit the rear end of a Saturn near the Busch Boulevard exit of Interstate 275.

As the Saturn spun into the northbound lanes, Madir slammed the brakes of his tanker, which was carrying 78,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

The Saturn struck the cab of his truck, then spun into the concrete wall of the interstate, impacting at the gas tank. Gasoline sprayed over the car. A spark exploded into flames.

Without thinking, Madir grabbed a fire extinguisher from his truck and ran to the Saturn.

He kicked out the front passenger window, and pulled 24-year-old Jasmine Lacagnina from the car, along with her husband, 25-year-old Richard Lacagnina, both of Tampa.

They were unconscious. Another couple who stopped to help tended to them while Madir tried to put out the fire. Meanwhile, Hillsborough County firefighter Sean VanAtter pulled the couple's three children from the burning car: 2-year-old Yari, 3-year-old Marissa and 4-year-old Jeremia.

Jeremia was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The rest of the family was treated at Tampa General Hospital. They were released Friday.

Madir, of St. Petersburg, said he doesn't consider himself a hero.

"I just had to think fast," he said. "People were panicking. Others just stood there and looked. My main concern was just to get folks out."

With a 4-year-old daughter of his own at home, Madir said his heart went out to the family.

"I believe deeply in God, and got on my knees last night when I got home," he said. "I asked for help for this family to pull through this."

Florida Highway Patrol investigator Jessee Hinson said careless driving charges were pending against the driver of the Buick, 45-year-old Evelio Martinez Quesada of 3002 W Paris St. in Tampa.

The driver of the white car who stopped in the middle of the Busch Boulevard exit was wanted for questioning, Hinson said.

"They might not even know if they caused a crash," he said.

If Madir and VanAtter had not gotten the family from the car, Hinson said, "They would have all expired." He said it was not clear whether anyone was wearing a seat belt.

Mrs. Lacagnina said she does not remember the crash. Her husband picked her up from her job in the business office of Memorial Hospital, she said, and the family was headed to their home off Busch Boulevard when the accident happened.

The family was mourning the loss of Jeremia, a preschooler at Palm River Elementary school, his mother said.

"He was very special," Mrs. Lacagnina said. "He loved cars and dinosaurs."

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