Driver struck from behind, then head-on

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 5, 2001

WESLEY CHAPEL -- Roseann Marie Pursley didn't have the best of birthdays Thursday.

First, the St. Petersburg woman's car was hit from behind by another car on State Road 54, pushing her small black 1994 Chevrolet into oncoming traffic.

Then a septic tank truck plowed head-on into her, demolishing her car and sending her to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa via helicopter.

And adding insult to injury, she faces a charge of driving with a suspended license.

Pursley spent most of her 45th birthday at St. Joseph's, where she remained Thursday night in good condition. She was expected to be released today.

The accident happened about 11 a.m. Thursday as Pursley was headed west on SR 54, near Lado Drive.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said two teenage girls in a 1995 Ford Taurus hit Pursley's car from behind as traffic came to a halt. The girls, driver Rachel Lynn Edge, 17, of Wesley Chapel and Deborah Sue Childres, 18, of Zephyrhills were taken to East Pasco Medical Center with minor injuries.

Chris Vance, 40, of San Antonio was driving his Bennett Septic Excavation truck west along SR 54 and plowed into Pursley head-on. Vance said he never had a chance to stop.

"All I could do was hang on and hit the brakes," he said. "I just had no where to go."

Vance, who has worked for the company for 11 years, wasn't hurt in the crash.

Troopers said Edge will be charged with careless driving. The crash backed up traffic in both directions along SR 54 for miles.

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