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Driver was 'never aware' he caused crash

By DEMORRIS A. LEE
Published April 11, 2007

PALM HARBOR - The trouble started when the blue 2003 Nissan 350Z with the silver door handles swung wide as it pulled onto U.S. 19 Monday night, authorities say.

The driver's wide right turn caused Jennifer E. Ross, 23, who was heading south in a Cadillac Escalade to swerve, lose control and cross a median into northbound traffic.

The driver of the Nissan must have seen the resulting accident, during which two other vehicles struck Ross' car, witnesses told investigators. He pulled over. Watched it. And then sped off.

But he apparently didn't know that Bryan Phifer, 23, of Spring Hill, was watching him.

Phifer followed the Nissan; the driver pulled away but not before Phifer got his tag number.

"I'm going to the house shortly and plan to charge him with causing the accident and leaving the scene of the accident," Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Tyrone Crim said Tuesday afternoon. "He owns the vehicle."

Alan Richard Correira, 33, of Tarpon Springs is listed as the Nissan's owner, Crim said. But Correira told the Times it wasn't him, and he had not been arrested as of Tuesday evening.

"I was never aware that I caused an accident," Correira said. "I saw an accident on the other side of the road. Maybe what happened was that I saw an accident and slowed down. And I'm not aware that anyone followed me."

Correira said his insurance company contacted him Tuesday morning inquiring about an accident. He said he thought it was some sort of identity fraud and made a statement to his insurer that he wasn't aware of causing an accident.

Correira said he pulled onto U.S. 19 at the Wing House north of Alderman Road.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, about 7:35 p.m., Ross, who was in the inside lane on U.S. 19, swerved to miss the Nissan near Nebraska Avenue, losing control. She then crossed the concrete median into northbound traffic, hitting a 2006 Hyundai driven by Thomas Quarters, 22, of Palm Harbor.

Ross' car kept moving, when it was struck by a 2004 Jeep Cherokee driven by Mark Rogers, 51, of Palm Harbor.

"It just catapulted right in front of my truck," Rogers said. "I had never seen anything like it. She came flying through the air and landed right in front of me."

Ross was treated and released from Tampa's St. Joseph's Hospital Tuesday, a spokesman said. Rogers and Quarters also were treated and released.

News researcher Caryn Baird contributed to his report. Demorris A. Lee can be reached at 445-4174 or dalee@sptimes.com.

[Last modified April 10, 2007, 22:40:56]