ORLANDO – The Florida Highway Patrol has released the names of the people who were injured and killed in a fiery crash yesterday afternoon, including five children from Louisiana.
The devastating crash occurred on January 3 around 3:40 p.m. near mile marker 394 on I-75 in Alachua County, according to the FHP.
An 18-wheel semi-truck traveling north on I-75 collided with a 2007 Honda hatchback, and both vehicles slammed into the guardrail.
Both vehicles then travelled into the southbound lanes of traffic and collided with a 2006 Chevrolet van on the driver’s side, causing the van to flip multiple times and eject an unknown number of passengers, according to the FHP.
The semi then struck another semi-truck, and both trucks burst into flames, along with the van.
A 2006 Chevrolet pickup truck then struck at least one person who had been ejected from the van.
The driver of both semis, 59-year-old Steve Holland of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Douglas Bolkema of Albuquerque, New Mexico, were killed.
Five passengers in the Chevrolet van were killed, six are listed in serious condition, and one is listed as critical.
Among the van’s passengers, 14-year-old Joel Cloud, 14-year-old Jeremiah Warren, nine-year-old Cierra Bordelan, 13-year-old Cara Descant, and 10-year-old Brieana Descant, all of Marksville, Louisiana, were killed.
Forty-five-year-old Amy Joffrion and 14-year-old Noah Joffrion, both of Manasura, Louisiana, are listed in serious condition.
Thirty-year-old Ali Laborde, 11-year-old Chelsea Laborde, and 50-year-old Karen Descant, all of Marksville, are listed in serious and critical condition, respectively.
Nine-year-old Trinity Woodward and 9-year-old Chance Bernard, both of Hessmer, Louisiana, are listed in serious condition.
The driver of the Honda, 41-year-old Robyn Rattray of Gainesville, Florida, is listed in serious condition, while the driver of the Chevrolet pickup, Mark Houghtaling, also of Gainesville, was unhurt.
The FHP earlier said that the children from Louisiana in the van were on their way to Disney World.