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Elderly couple killed in collision

The Dunnellon couple's car ran a stop sign and drove into the path of a pickup on U.S. 19, troopers say.

By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET
Published December 24, 2005

RED LEVEL - A husband and wife from Dunnellon were killed in a car accident Thursday afternoon on U.S. 19.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Carl Kemmeling Jr., 85, failed to stop at a stop sign when he was driving west on County Road 488 about 12:30 p.m.

He drove his 2000 Lincoln LS Sedan into the path of a 1993 Chevrolet Silverado pickup that was northbound on U.S. 19.

The front of the pickup collided with the left side of the sedan, sending the car careening into a fence near the side of the road. Both Kemmeling and his wife, Della, 85, died at the scene, the patrol reported.

Trooper Larry Coggins said Kemmeling violated the pickup's right of way.

Northbound traffic on U.S. 19 near the intersection was reduced to one lane for about an hour and a half while troopers investigated, Coggins said.

The driver of the pickup was Duane Shepard, 59, of Glen Rose, Texas. His passengers included his wife, Dolores, 55, and grandson John Shepard, 7, both of Glen Rose; and aunt Emmy Engert, 87, of Crystal River.

An ambulance took the passengers to Citrus Memorial Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries.

Duane Shepard said Engert was still in the hospital Friday.

"She's got arthritis in her hip and it banged up her hip real bad. ... We couldn't even get her into the car," he said.

But he said she would probably make it back to her Crystal River mobile home for Christmas.

Duane Shepard said his family came to Citrus County for the holidays. They were on their way to a nearby park when the accident happened.

Shepard, an auto mechanic, said he has resurrected several cars after serious crashes, but his pickup is beyond repair.

The FHP estimated damage to the sedan at $10,000 and damage to the truck at $5,000.

Shepard said has to return to work Jan. 3, but he doesn't know how he'll get back to Texas with his pickup totaled.

"I don't know what's going to happen," he said.

The Kemmelings lived at 8615 SW 209th Court in Dunnellon. Family members could not be reached for comment Friday.

Coggins said their deaths marked the 24th and 25th traffic fatalities of 2005 in Citrus County, and the third fatal crash on U.S. 19 in the county this year.

Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at cshoichet@sptimes.com or 860-7309.

[Last modified December 24, 2005, 01:09:13]