Baby, Orlando woman die, 10 children hurt in crashes

BROOKSVILLE -- Two car accidents in west-central Florida on Saturday killed two people, including a baby, and injured 10 other children, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

In Orange County, an Orlando woman died Saturday from injuries received when she was hit by a car that troopers said was making an illegal lane change as she stood next to her vehicle on Florida's Turnpike.

One crash killed a 1-year-old child, left a 13-year-old girl on life support and injured seven more children ages 7 to 14 when the pickup they were riding in spun out of control and hit a palm tree in Hernando County near Brooksville, FHP spokesman Larry Coggins said.

Officials initially thought that 13-year-old Richelle Hart had died on the scene, but emergency medical workers were able to revive her on the way to Tampa General Hospital, Coggins said. The girl was in extremely critical condition late Saturday, but the other injured children had nonlife-threatening injuries.

The pickup was loaded with the adult driver and four children in the cab and five more youngsters in the bed of the vehicle. The five children in the rear of the pickup were ejected, some landing in a creek lining the road, Coggins said.

The driver, Somjai Maner, 27, of Brooksville was taking the group to celebrate Memorial Day weekend.

The children were not wearing seat belts, Coggins said. The baby who was killed was identified as Jamarion Badger.

About 30 miles to the southwest in New Port Richey, a 71-year-old woman was killed and two young sisters were injured when an elderly man drove in reverse into a restaurant Saturday afternoon, Coggins said.

The 81-year-old man in a late-model Chevrolet sedan backed out of his parking space and kept going through the window of the small cafe. He backed over the woman, who was eating in a booth, and the girls, ages 7 and 11.

The sisters were transported to Bayfront Medical Center with serious injuries. The driver was unhurt. Names of those involved in the crash were not available.

At the Winter Garden entrance ramp to the turnpike, Cherie F. Leary of Orlando was walking around her vehicle, which was properly parked in the "safe zone" between the ramp and the traffic lanes at 8:30 a.m., said FHP Trooper A.J. Renard.

Christian T. Butler, 23, of Clermont was driving south in his 1991 Honda Accord when he changed lanes to try to pass slower traffic on the right, Renard said.

The Honda struck Leary, 54, and her car. Both vehicles overturned.

Leary was flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where she died later Saturday, said hospital spokesman Joe Brown.

Butler, who received minor injuries, was cited for making an improper lane change. Traffic homicide investigators will determine whether additional charges are to be filed, Renard said.

Mark Andrews of the Orlando Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
The Associated Press also was used.

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