Crashes leave 2 dead in east Hillsborough

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 27, 2000

TAMPA -- Two people died in eastern Hillsborough County in separate early morning accidents.

Cortney Sanders was driving west on Orangewalk Drive on Sunday morning when her Honda slammed into the passenger side of a 1992 Ford headed north on Bell Shoals Road, sheriff's deputies said.

The Ford driver, 47-year-old Alphonse Maloni of 3104 Bloomingdale Villa Court, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 1:30 a.m. crash.

Sheriff's deputies said it was unclear whether Sanders, 18, obeyed the stop sign at the intersection. Maloni did not have a stop sign on Bell Shoals Road.

"She violated his right of way," said Sgt. Rod Reder, spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, although Sanders had not been charged Monday. "The investigation continues," Reder said, and deputies have determined it was alcohol-related.

Maloni's passenger, Traci Ann Shand, 34, was taken to Brandon Regional Hospital along with a passenger in Sanders' car, 17-year-old Christopher Green. Maloni was wearing a seat belt, according to the accident report.

The second fatal crash occurred shortly after 5 a.m. Monday, deputies said. John Michael Moran Jr. of Plant City was northbound on Turkey Creek Road near Trapnell Road when his 1997 Ford van crossed the median and the southbound lanes and slammed into a utility pole.

Moran, 34, was ejected and died at the scene, deputies said.

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