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Volume No. 1 Issue No. 34 - Monday, December 30, 2002 |
Dominican Family in Deadly I-75 Alligator Alley Crash
by: Thomson Fontaine
Five family members from Colihaut residing in Tampa Florida were involved in a deadly crash on the I-75 Alligator Alley in Miami. Last night, Shadia Rene, 20,(inset) became the third victim to die from her injuries. Two days ago, Feliciane 11, and Felix 14, died from their injuries.
Their mother and father Stella and Jocelyn Kali, 39, and 40, respectively remained hospitalized in critical condition. The driver of the vehicle was 33-year-old family friend Meme Chery, but his injuries were not life threathening.
The family was riding eastbound in an Isuzu Rodeo at 4 p.m. New Year's Day when the Sport Utility Vehicle blew a tire and rolled over several times, crossing the median and coming to a rest in the westbound lanes. This accident is sure to rekindle the debate over the safety of SUV�s and their susceptibility to roll overs.
Shadia died after she was removed from life support after been pronounced clinically dead. The decision to remove life support was made by her sister 24 year old Cynthia Jnobaptiste since her mother was in no shape to be consulted and Joycelyn is her step father.
The crash gained National attention after it was reported that incoming House Majority Leader Bill Frist, a heart surgeon had aided the crash victims after coming across the accident on New Years day.
Frist, a medical doctor, called 911, as did others, and helped treat and comfort the victims. Tapes of those 911 calls were released Friday.
In one, the dispatcher answers, ``911, do you need police fire or medical assistance?''
The caller responds: ``All of the above, ma'am, I'm sure you probably already have it, I-75 Alligator Alley, a turned over vehicle.
Dispatcher: ``Yes, sir, we do have it ... help is on the way.''
Caller: ``We have at least five critical and we're going to need some air ambulance and probably more than one.''
On the 911 tapes, it was not readily apparent which caller is Frist.
Lt. John Bagnardi, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, said it appeared that one or more of the SUV occupants weren't wearing seat belts.
''I was driving toward Naples when I saw a cloud of black smoke in front of me and I saw things flying out of the vehicle rolling to a stop in front of me,'' said Lara Spalding, 25, a nursing student who works at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee and responded to the crash. ``I thought it was just personal items, but it turned out to be people. It was awful. It looked like a massacre.''
Frist visited the crash victims at the hospital on Thursday, but said he would not comment about the visit ``out of deference to the family.''
''He told us the president sent his regards and would say a prayer for us,'' Mingo (inset above), an uncle of the deceased children reported to the National press.
Mingo added: ``We have asked ourselves why something like this had to happen, but our faith will get us through this and make us stronger people.''
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