Florida Turnpike Closed Following Explosive Crash
One Person Killed In Crash
POSTED: Wednesday, December 10, 2003
UPDATED: 2:06 pm EST December 11,
2003
A head-on collision between a sport utility vehicle and a freight truck carrying 240 pounds of explosives for the military killed one person Wednesday night and closed a 17-mile stretch of Florida's Turnpike, according to Local 6 News.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said Tera Ross, 22, was headed to South Florida with two other passengers when her 2000 Ford Explorer crossed the turnpike median at the Orange-Lake County line and went into the northbound lanes. 
The vehicle then slammed head-on into a northbound Volvo freight truck and ruptured one of five cases of blasting caps inside the vehicle.The sport utility vehicle was burned so badly that there was only a shell left, according to Local 6 News.Ross was killed instantly. Ross' brother, Zachary, 20, and a friend, Kelly Melissa Raw, 18, of Oviedo, were also injured in the crash and transported to a local hospital in critical condition.Local 6 News reported the three people in the Explorer were headed home for the holidays from Jacksonville State University.The driver of the Volvo truck, Glen Rice, and his wife Janice Rice were not injured in the collision. 
A team of explosives experts from Patrick Air Force Base arrived on the scene at about 11:30 p.m. to inspect the remaining explosives on the truck.Officials closed 17 miles of the turnpike from U.S. 27 to state Road 50 in both directions Thursday. Local 6 News reported that southbound lanes were opened at 10:45 a.m. and northbound lanes opened at about 1:30 p.m.Florida Department of Transportation officials said the state lost about $624,000 in commerce for each hour the north-south thoroughfare was closed.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
| Video |
Explosive Crash Shuts Down TurnpikeThe vehicle then slammed head-on into a northbound Volvo freight truck and ruptured one of five cases of blasting caps inside the vehicle.The sport utility vehicle was burned so badly that there was only a shell left, according to Local 6 News.Ross was killed instantly. Ross' brother, Zachary, 20, and a friend, Kelly Melissa Raw, 18, of Oviedo, were also injured in the crash and transported to a local hospital in critical condition.Local 6 News reported the three people in the Explorer were headed home for the holidays from Jacksonville State University.The driver of the Volvo truck, Glen Rice, and his wife Janice Rice were not injured in the collision. A team of explosives experts from Patrick Air Force Base arrived on the scene at about 11:30 p.m. to inspect the remaining explosives on the truck.Officials closed 17 miles of the turnpike from U.S. 27 to state Road 50 in both directions Thursday. Local 6 News reported that southbound lanes were opened at 10:45 a.m. and northbound lanes opened at about 1:30 p.m.Florida Department of Transportation officials said the state lost about $624,000 in commerce for each hour the north-south thoroughfare was closed.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.Copyright 2004 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair and a woman were found shot to death Saturday inside a residence in Nashville, police say.
Cities and towns across northeast Florida and southeast Georgia put on fireworks displays, parades, concerts and other celebrations of America's birthday.
Authorities in Gainesville still searching for the gunmen.
One person is dead following a traffic crash in the middle of the Fuller Warren Bridge.
Jacksonville begins Independence Day festivities on Friday, with much more in store for the holiday.
An afternoon of country music is capped by SkyBlast, Jacksonville's fireworks display.
One day after 76 dogs were confiscated from a south Putnam County mobile home, plenty of people are offering homes for the animals, but they may only be temporary.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has arrested four people accused of shoplifting at a Westside department store is also suspected of hitting stores at the St. Johns Town Center.
Sarah Palin is stepping down as Alaska governor.
It formed in southern Duval County and slowly moved north -- mostly on or near the St. Johns River -- so thousands of people could witness its power.
Viewers throughout Duval County saw, snapped and sent in photos of the waterspout that moved up the river Friday afternoon.
Capturing N.E. Florida's wanted suspects is a tough task, so the local station is trying to help with the Wheel of Justice. Every Thursday morning the wheel spins and a wanted fugitive is profiled.
View All Fugitives On 'Wheel'
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
