Van for disabled flips, injuring 7 people

Five UPARC clients and their driver are treated and released; one remains hospitalized. Police say their van hit a dump truck that pulled out in front of them.

By CHRIS TISCH

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 22, 2001

CLEARWATER -- The six mentally disabled adults were making their daily 10-minute trip to day program activities Tuesday morning.

They were strapped in a van that was only blocks from the Upper Pinellas Association for Retarded Citizens on Belcher Road. Suddenly, police said, a dump truck pulled in front of them at Logan Street.

The van hit the dump truck and tumbled. It flipped twice, then came to rest on its wheels on Belcher Road, said Debbie Turner, associate executive director over the UPARC residential program.

Three of the six residents on board were taken by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center. The other three, along with the van driver, were taken by ambulance to local hospitals for less serious injuries.

By day's end, six of the seven injured people had been treated and released. One man with Down's syndrome, 64-year-old Paul Lavers, remained in serious condition at Bayfront on Tuesday night. He suffered a fractured neck vertebra, Turner said.

Turner said the rest of the injured suffered bumps, bruises and cuts.

Still, the 8 a.m. accident shook up some staff members and clients at UPARC.

"The agency as a whole is pretty much a family here," Turner said. "It's pretty chilling and the (residents) themselves, they get concerned. When it happens right in front of your facility, it makes it pretty hard."

But staff members and colleagues were relieved no one was killed. The crash destroyed the van and caused Belcher Road to be closed in both directions.

"They're lucky," Turner said. "We feel a little blessed at the moment. We're just kind of glad they made it through. It was not looking good."

The driver of the dump truck, Francis Hanna, 45, was charged with violation of right of way. He was not hurt in the crash.

Police said Hanna was at a stop sign in the eastbound lane of Logan Street when he saw two trucks in the southbound curb lane of Belcher Road coming toward him, preparing to turn west. He assumed no one was coming and pulled onto Belcher in front of the van, which was behind the trucks, police said.

"He thought it was clear and pulled into the path," Clearwater police spokesman Wayne Shelor said.

Turner said UPARC vans have been involved in fender-benders here and there. She said Monday's crash was the worst in at least 10 years.

Turner said the van driver, Jason Austin, 25, is a staff trainer at UPARC. He was treated for minor injuries.

The residents live in a home called the Ranch, which is on County Road 193 near Sunset Point Road. The residents, who have various disabilities including mental retardation, attend a day program at the Belcher Road facility.

Turner said the residents, all of whom were wearing seat belts, did not want to talk about the crash late Tuesday.

"They're really kind of shook up," she said.

The others injured in the crash are:

Frank Biscuitti, 32, flown to Bayfront, treated and released.

Leona Leone, 44, flown to Bayfront, treated and released.

Stephanie Dean, 47, taken to Mease-Dunedin Hospital, treated and released.

Rita Rossi, 65, taken to Mease-Dunedin, treated and released.

Jennifer Hayes, 40, taken to Morton Plant Hospital, treated and released.

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