Page 24 - 6-24-16 Friday's Edition

Local
Middleton Teacher Still Missing In Grand Canyon
11-5 Vote:
MPO Board Gives Green Light To TBX Project
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
On Wednesday evening, the chambers of the County Commission were filled to capacity when a meeting was held for the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Board to vote on the Tampa Bay Express Project.
The proposed $6 billion project is supposed to add lanes to Interstates 4, 75, and 275 to ease traf- fic, and also toll lanes.
With the room packed, more than 180 people signed up to speak during the 8-1/2 hour meeting. With opponents and supporters of the project in the room, the MPO Board voted 11-5 in favor of the Florida Department of Transportation’s
(FDOT) plan.
Voting no on the plan were County Commis-
sioner and MPO Board Chair, Les Miller, County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, City Council members Guido Maniscalco and Lisa Monte- lione, and USF Architect Professor, Trent Green.
Comm. Miller said there were an overwhelm- ing number of people at the meeting who wanted the project stopped.
“I thought there were compelling arguments on both sides. But, the people who will be directly im- pacted by the project spoke the loudest and they don’t want their neighborhoods destroyed.
“During the meeting, there were some motions made that really didn’t make sense. I made a mo- tion in 2015 for FDOT to do some things, and they failed on all of them. Some of the people who voted yes knew FDOT had dropped the ball be- fore. I don’t believe FDOT will do 85% of the things they’ve promised.”
Comm. Miller said FDOT will now have to come back for funding, and now the design plan and the displacement of families studies will be done.
“The design plan and displacement studies
COMM. AND MPO BOARD CHAIR LES MILLER
LENA YOUNG- GREEN
should have been done and completed before this meeting was held. It’s just another example of FDOT dragging their feet and not following through on promises they make.
“I hope all of the people who opposed the proj- ect stay diligent, and don’t dissolve their unity.”
Comm. Miller said it will be 2021 before the funding is in place for the project.
Tampa Heights resident and homeowner, Lena Young-Green, said none of them were surprised at the way the vote turned out.
“We are pulling our troops back together. I pulled articles from the 1960s and FDOT said they have been deliberate in their selection of areas for their projects.
“We are fighters, and none of us are discour- aged. This project has discrimination written all over it, especially with the business owners who favored the project. We were hoping we’d get more support, but we knew we’d have to explore other avenues.”
Mauricio Rosas of Sunshine Citizens, a group opposing the project, said he’s pleased about the big turnout.
“I’m not happy that the people most affected by this project were not well represented at the meet- ing, and I think that was due to our poor public transportation system.
“For all the people who voted no, I applaud them for their interest in protecting their con- stituents. We’re going to work with the urban core and remain strong and supportive.”
Last Saturday, the Grand Canyon Regional Communi- cations Center was notified of a missing person in the ex- treme western portion of Grand Canyon National Park, near Kelly Tanks, in Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. The missing hiker has been identified as 52-year-old Floyd Roberts, III.
Roberts was reported missing by his hiking group, at 3 p.m., on June 18th. The group was on the first day of a multi-day backpacking trip. The search for Roberts is being conducted by the Na- tional Park Service Search and Rescue Operation.
The experienced hiker had 2 gallons of water, a week’s supply of food and a map that laid out their planned hike.
FLOYD ROBERTS, III ... Reported Missing in the Grand Canyon
Roberts joined the Hills- borough County School Dis- trict in 2014, as a Business Technology and Web Design instructor. He has been as- signed to Middleton High School since joining the dis- trict.
He lives in Treasure Is- land with his wife.
MAURICIO ROSAS
Horrific 7-Car Pile Up On I-4 Accident Claims Lives Of 4
A multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 4 has left 4 people dead. One of the victims was a child.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident took place in the westbound lanes of Interstate 4 at the 30 mile marker in Polk County.
Officials said the preliminary investigation revealed that the accident occurred at approxi- mately 8 a.m., Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol said 22- year-old Dustin Wayne Toole, of Haines City was driv- ing a 1999 Ford F250 in the east- bound center lane on Interstate 4 east of Memorial Blvd., near the 30 milepost. Toole was traveling at a high rate of speed and possibly “traveling at high speed with or near an unknown colored Toyota Prius.”
Toole apparently lost con- trol and left the center lane, and entered the inside lane. At that time the back of his truck col- lided with the right front of a 2008 Ford F250, driven by Za- khary Dean Rogers, 24, of Wesley Chapel.
Rogers’ vehicle traveled for a short distance before it came to a controlled stop without
striking any other vehicles. Rogers was not injured. Joseph C. Martinez, 22, of Tampa, who was a passenger in the Rogers vehicle was not in- jured, police said.
After striking the truck Rogers was driving, Toole’s truck then rotated into the me- dian and entered the westbound lanes, where it collided head on with a 2007 Chevrolet Van.
The driver of the van has been identified as 45-year-old Iran Torres, of Kissimmee. Both Torres and his passenger was Leonardo Mathieu-Tu- rallas, 59, of Alpharetta, Geor- gia, died at the scene.
Toole’s truck then became airborne and its undercarriage struck a 2010 Nissan, driven by Ms. Elma Gatcha, 36, of Cler- mont. Cassie Ann Gatcha, 12, also of Clermont, was a passen- ger in the Nissan. The Nissan came to rest on the shoulder of the interstate.
After being struck, the Nis- san traveled across the west- bound lanes of Interstate 4 and was struck from behind by a 2007 truck, driven by Donald Rolling, 44, of Tampa. Both of those vehicles came to rest at the concrete barrier wall at the exit
ramp. Rolling was not injured. Ms. Gatcha was seriously injured and transported to Lake- land Regional Medical Center. Cassie Gatcha, died at the
scene.
After striking the Nissan,
Toole’s truck overturned and came to rest on the outside shoulder of westbound Inter- state 4. As the vehicle over- turned, Toole was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene, police said.
While Toole’s truck was still in motion, a 2015 Ford truck, driven by William A. Smith, Jr., 51, of Lakeland, col- lided with debris belonging to the Nissan. Smith was able to stop his vehicle without striking any other vehicles and was not injured.
Roy S. Bensen, Jr., 55, of Wesley Chapel, was driving a 2011 Ford F150 westbound as the accident was taking place. His vehicle collided with debris from the other vehicles involved in the crash. Bensen was not injured.
The interstate was closed for several hours as the investiga- tion took place. No charges have been filed, but the investigation is continuing.
CORRECTION
DONLEY HARRIS
In the Friday, June 17, 2016 edition of the Sentinel, an incorrect photograph of Donley Harris was printed.
We apologize to the family for the error.
FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A