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1 dead, 7 hurt in I-4 accident

The wreck closes eastbound lanes, stalling traffic 11/2 hours.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published April 27, 2005

TAMPA - A grandmother was killed and seven other people were injured early Tuesday when their family SUV went out of control and overturned on Interstate 4.

The accident happened at 11:15 a.m. near the State Road 39 exit in Plant City, closing all four eastbound lanes and stalling traffic for an hour and a half. At its longest, traffic was backed up for 9 miles.

The family was headed east on I-4 in a rented 2005 Ford Expedition when the female driver appeared to lose control, said Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Larry Coggins.

The SUV spun counter-clockwise, flipped, eventually coming to rest on the grassy median, Coggins said.

Two passengers, a father and son, David and Zachary Cornell, who were not wearing seat belts, were ejected from the SUV, Coggins said. The driver, Kathleen Heitner, a 54-year-old grandmother, was killed on impact.

All of the seven injured passengers were taken to Tampa General Hospital. Two had to be airlifted.

Coggins said the occupants, from Spokane, Wash., were on vacation at Walt Disney World. They were staying at a resort hotel, but it was unclear what they were doing in the Plant City-Tampa area. By Tuesday night, some of the passengers had been released from Tampa General Hospital, but one was in intensive care, another in critical condition.

David Cornell, 29, who was ejected from the SUV, was in intensive care with life-threatening injuries. The other passengers were identified as Sarah Cornell, 30, listed at TGH in fair condition; her son, Zachary, 10, treated and released; Stephanie and Chris Heitner, both 32; their son Brant, 12; and Jordan Reiner, 14. Stephanie Heitner was still in the emergency room being treated late Tuesday, a TGH spokeswoman said, and Chris Heitner had been discharged. Brant was in serious condition and Jordan was listed as critical.

[Last modified April 27, 2005, 00:47:14]