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A man who lives near the crash site says he has seen roughly 30 wrecks in 15 years on the road.
By BRADY DENNIS
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 13, 2001
DADE CITY -- A two-truck wreck Wednesday on Old Lakeland Highway south of Dade City killed one woman and injured a 21-year-old man.
Investigators said the two trucks -- a white Ford F-350 and a black Dodge Ram -- were headed in opposite directions when they collided shortly after 3 p.m.
Officials said they weren't sure exactly how the accident happened, but the driver's side of each truck was severely crushed.
In the wake of the wreck, the driver's door of the Dodge had been torn away, and deputies placed a sheet over the woman's body. She had not been identified Wednesday, pending notification of next of kin.
Eric Briscoe, 21, was driving the other truck, a company vehicle from Simpson Farm in Dade City.
He was flown by helicopter to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, and his injuries did not appear to be life threatening.
Thomas Collins and his 17-year-old son, Greg, were sitting in their mobile home when they heard the crash.
"I heard screeching of tires, then there was this, "Bam!' " Thomas Collins said. "I ran out right away."
He said when he got to the woman, she still was moving. But she seemed to die shortly afterward, he said.
Collins said when there was no more to do for the woman, he rushed over to Briscoe.
"He kept asking me if she was all right," Collins said.
He said he has seen roughly 30 wrecks in 15 years along the stretch of road in front of his home.
"The sun glares off the road. People speed," Collins said. "They really need to do something with this."