Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 4-5-16 Edition

Features
Unrelated Traffic Accidents Claim 6 Lives
In the past week, law en- forcement officers investigated three separate accidents in- volving death. The youngest victim was a 4-month old baby.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office investigated an accident that took place Thurs- day, around 9 p.m., on Bell Shoals Road. Kurtis L. Jack- son, 25, of Brandon, was driv- ing a 2001 Chevrolet Impala southbound when he passed a slower vehicle. Jackson quickly swerved back into the southbound lane to avoid hit- ting a motorcycle that was traveling northbound on Bell Shoals Road.
Police said Jackson over corrected and lost control of the vehicle. The over correc-
KURTIS JACKSON
tion resulted in Jackson swerving back into the north- bound lane, where he struck a 2013 Nissan Rogue driven by Ms. Jamie Gold, of Valrico. Both vehicles overturned upon impact.
Jackson and his passen- ger, Ms. Adriana Alarco,
28, of Tampa, died at the scene. Ms. Gold was trans- ported to St. Joseph’s Hospital with non-life threatening in- juries.
Police said all of the indi- viduals were wearing seatbelts. Police have not determined if speed or alcohol played a role in the accident. The investiga- tion is continuing.
Head-On Collision
Both drivers died and a teenager was seriously injured in a traffic accident Friday af- ternoon. The accident took place at the intersection of State Road 674 and Chert Rock Trail, in Wimauma.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Ms. Mary Jo McMeley-Blevins, 41, and an unidentified male passen- ger were riding in a 2001 Ford Windstar. Ms. Donna Lee Gaige, 49, and Matthew Martin, 15, were riding in a 2003 Honda CRV.
Police said Ms. McMeley- Blevins was traveling west- bound on State Road 674 and Ms. Gaige was traveling east- bound on Chert Rock Trail.
Shortly after 4 p.m., for un- determined reasons, Ms. McMeley-Blevins lost con- trol of her vehicle and veered
into the eastbound lane. The car left the roadway while si- multaneously spinning in a southwesterly direction.
Ms. Gaige took evasive ac- tion in an attempt to avoid a collision, and ran off the road onto the south shoulder. The left front of Ms. McMeley- Blevins’ vehicle collided with the front of Ms. Gaige’s vehi- cle and flipped over.
Ms. McMeley-Blevins
died at the scene of the acci- dent. Her unidentified male passenger fled on foot after the collision.
Ms. Gaige was trans- ported to Tampa General Hos- pital. She later died as a result of her injuries. The investiga- tion is continuing.
Infant Killed In Accident
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office investigated a traffic accident that resulted in the death of an infant. The ac- cident took place Friday after- noon in Plant City.
According to police, Peter Tan, 21, of Orlando, was driv- ing a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. His passenger was 15-year-old Christian Steve, also of Orlando.
The second vehicle, a 2007 Hyundai Sonata, was driven by
Ms. Marlene Gomez Ros- ales, 27. Her passengers were: Rodrigo Modesto, 4 months; Marinely Modesto- Gomez, 6, and Osvaldo Modesto-Gomez, 3, all of Plant City.
Police said the accident took place on Kirkland Road at Wiggins Road, South. Ms. Gomez Rosales was driving northbound on Wiggins Road when Tan violated her right- of-way and drove into the path of her vehicle.
Ms. Gomez Rosales
swerved to the left in an at- tempt to avoid an accident and struck the left rear quarter panel of the truck. The truck rotated counterclockwise and stopped in a ditch.
Ms. Gomez Rosales’ in- fant son, Rodrigo Modestro suffered life-threatening in- juries. He was rushed to South Baptist Hospital, where he died a short time after arriving. The others in the vehicle were treated for non-life threatening injuries at Tampa General Hospital.
Police said they did not sus- pect drugs or alcohol as con- tributing factors of the accident. No charges have been filed pending the outcome of the investigation.
Traffic Accident Claims Life Of Young Woman
A young Tampa woman died in a traffic accident early Sunday. The accident took place on Williams Road.
According to the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office, around 1:30 a.m., Sunday, Andre Carlton Hunter, 18, of Tampa, was driving a 2004 Ford Taurus. His passengers were Ms. Marneesia Denise Cotton, 19, of Tampa, and Quinton Thomas Stanton, 22, also of Tampa.
Police said Hunter was al- legedly traveling too fast to ne- gotiate the curve and left the
roadway. The back passenger side of the vehicle struck a tree. Ms. Cotton was seated in the back passenger seat and struck her head on impact.
The Hillsborough County Fire Department responded to the scene and pronounced Ms. Cotton deceased. Stanton, who was seated in the front right side of the car was trans- ported to a local hospital, with non-life threatening injuries.
Police do not believe alco- hol was a factor in the accident and no charges have been filed. The investigation is continuing.
Body Found In Park Identified As Missing Elderly Man
Police have identified the body of an elderly man lo- cated in a park. He was re- ported missing last Saturday.
According to the Tampa Police Department, Jerome N. C0nnley, 67, of Amberly Drive, was reported missing after he did not return from the store on Saturday. He was last seen around 2 p.m.
The individual who re- ported him missing told po- lice that Mr. Connley suffered from PTSD and de- mentia.
After launching an inves- tigation in an attempt to lo- cate Ms. Connley, police found his vehicle, containing his wallet and cell phone in New Tampa Park. They later discovered his body in a wooded area of the Tampa
JEROME N. CONNLEY
Nature Park, 17001 Dona Michelle Dr. Police do not suspect any foul play related to the death.
Funeral services for Mr. Connley were incomplete at press time. Wilson’s Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements.
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