Two people injured in accident on I-75

Their vehicle was forced off the road by a semitrailer truck, reports say. The wrecked vehicle's driver remains hospitalized.

By CARY DAVIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 6, 2000

BLANTON -- A Pinellas Park man suffered serious injuries Monday morning when his sport utility vehicle flipped three times after a semitrailer truck apparently forced it off Interstate 75 in northern Pasco County, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Arthur W. Lavigne, 28, and a co-worker were headed north in the left lane just before 10 a.m. when a tight cluster of three semitrailer trucks tried to pass them. One veered into the left lane and forced Lavigne's white Isuzu Rodeo into the median about 2 miles south of County Road 41, Trooper Ron Paulk said.

As Lavigne tried to regain control and steer the Rodeo back onto the pavement, the vehicle flipped and rolled downhill into the grass median, where it came to rest upside down. Lavigne, who was wearing his seat belt, was ejected from the Rodeo as it rolled.

Lavigne suffered internal injuries and briefly lost consciousness, paramedics said. He was in critical condition as he was loaded onto a helicopter and flown to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. Later Monday, Lavigne was improving and was listed in fair condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Lavigne's passenger, Enoree Cummings, 45, who also was wearing a seat belt, was pulled from the wreckage. She suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to University Community Hospital in Tampa.

John Coleman, the driver of one of the semitrailer trucks, was cited for an improper lane change after witnesses told troopers that Coleman had forced the Rodeo off the road.

But Coleman told a Times reporter that he had done nothing wrong and became the scapegoat after he stopped to help while the the other two rigs kept driving.

"It will be a long time before I stop to help someone again," said Coleman, 39, of Chiefland. He said he would fight the citation in court.

Lavigne and Cummings were on their way to Dade City for a meeting with clients, said their boss, Jeff Zdanowski of KT Promotions of Tampa.

Patti Salzgeber was headed north on the interstate just behind the Rodeo. She said she saw the semitrailer trucks in her rearview mirror and pulled to the side to let them pass.

"When I see those big trucks driving like that," she said, "I just get out of the way."

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