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Man is arrested in fatal collision
By NICOLE HUTCHESON
Published April 4, 2007
A Palm Harbor man was arrested Monday on a charge that he was on cocaine when he caused a fatal head-on collision five months ago. Christopher Eckstein, 31, was charged with one count of manslaughter while driving under the influence in the death of 80-year-old Virginia Cantlon of Dunedin, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. The accident occurred just after 9 a.m. Nov. 6 as Cantlon was driving west on Tampa Road near Shady Oaks Drive in Oldsmar. Eckstein's 1996 Infiniti crossed the median from the eastbound lanes of Tampa Road and smashed into Cantlon's 1993 Dodge Dynasty, authorities said. Her car then hit a 2000 Chevy Blazer driven by 29-year-old Steven Jurbala of Dunedin. The crash seriously injured Cantlon, who was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. Cantlon, who had worked as a trainer of thoroughbred dogs, died Nov. 28. Jurbala and Eckstein were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. Once at the hospital, Eckstein admitted to a doctor that he had used cocaine and was on his way to work the morning of the accident. Blood was taken from Eckstein for testing. About two weeks ago the results of that blood test came back and showed that Eckstein was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the crash, sheriff's officials said. The Pasco-Pinellas State Attorney's Office issued an arrest warrant for Eckstein on Friday. He turned himself into the Sheriff's Office on Monday, said sheriff's spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda. Eckstein posted $20,000 bail and was released from the jail early Tuesday, according to jail records. He did not return a message from the Times Tuesday afternoon. It was initially reported that Cantlon was traveling east on Tampa Road when her car crossed the center line. Barreda said earlier accounts were based on incorrect witness information. The full investigation concluded that Eckstein was the driver at fault, she said. Nicole Hutcheson can be reached at njohnson@sptimes.com or 727 445-4162.
[Last modified April 3, 2007, 20:55:34]
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