5 hurt in fiery crash near Waccasassa

By Carrie A. Mizell

A large plume of smoke was visible for miles on Saturday afternoon after an RV and a truck collided at the intersection of State Road 26 and SE 70th Avenue, injuring five people.

People who had been at a flea market near the intersection of SR 26 and SE 70th Avenue
pulled the drivers and passengers from both vehicles before they were burned.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, an old RV driven by Justin D. Shealy, 18, of Trenton, was traveling northbound on SE 70th Avenue just before 2 p.m. Shealy reportedly stopped the RV at the stop sign and after a short time pulled the RV onto State Road 26 and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Wesley Stephens, 20, of Alachua, was a passenger in the RV at the time.
A westbound Chevrolet pickup truck driven by David H. Rhodes, 35, of Cross City, struck the right side of the RV, which violated the right of way.
Rhodes had two passengers in his truck, one of whom was Nancy Rhodes, 37, also of Cross City.

Gilchrist County firefighter Everett Heaton works to put out flames.

After the initial collision the vehicles traveled to the northeast corner of the intersection where both finally came to a stop.
The RV, which was struck in the fuel tank, spilled fuel onto the road, which ignited into flames. The fire quickly spread to both vehicles.
Trooper Gikas of the Florida Highway Patrol credited bystanders at a flea market set up on the northeast corner of the Waccasassa intersection with pulling the occupants of both vehicles out of the vehicles before they were burned.
Units from Gilchrist County Volunteer Fire Departments arrived and quickly got the fire under control. Gilchrist County EMS treated both drivers and all three occupants before transporting three by ground to Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
Two of the injured were transported by air to Shands.

Firefighters and EMS from throughout the county responded to the scene of the accident
on Saturday afternoon, which not only destroyed both vehicles, but also
damaged the caution light at the dangerous intersection.