Driving on I-95 in St. Johns County just north of the Flagler County line Thursday afternoon was a swarm of snarls.
The southbound lanes of the Interstate were all closed after 3 p.m. at mile marker 320, just north of the county line, when an American Eagle recreational vehicle towing a Chevrolet pickup truck had a blowout, veered left, hit the guardrail, hit a concrete bridge, overturned on its side, and continued sliding on top of the bridge, splitting the motor home almost in half.
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Somehow the RV stayed in one piece, but when it was done sliding, its rear half hung over the railing of the bridge, and its front half, considerably smashed up, clung to the roadway, pointing southwest. The pickup truck was not as lucky. It disconnected from the RV, catapulted over the bridge railing, and fell below the bridge, some 20 feet down. The pickup was empty. But it was demolished. The motor home sustained $50,000 in damages. Its salvageability is doubtful.
The motor home was driven by Richard Wray, 68, who was with his wife, Carol Wray, 65, both of Morehead City, N.C. Wray sustained minor injuries and was treated at Flagler Hospital in St. Johns.
A fuel spill lengthened the time the road had to be closed. Southbound traffic was routed through U.S. 1 and International Golf Parkway. Fuel had spilled on the road and the center median. At 4 p.m., an hour after the shut-down, the Florida Highway Patrol opened one outside lane, but kept the other lanes closed until 8 p.m.
Because of the back-up, another accident occurred further north on the interstate, by which time the backup had almost reached the Duval County line. A 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche driving south on the interstate’s outside lane struck another car slowing down because of the traffic tie-up ahead. That collision resulted in a chain reaction involving six vehicles, including a tractor trailer and a passenger car. Two people, including Mark Moore, the 34-year-old Orlando driver of the Avalanche, were treated for minor injuries at Baptist South Hospital. Southbound lanes were closed there, too, and traffic diverted to County Road 210.
when a car overturned but without causing life-threatening injuries, according to Bill Leeper of the Florida Highway Patrol.
GEORGE R. POWELL says
ON THE AMEREICAN EAGLE CRASH CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE MAKE OF TIRES, AGE OF TIRES
AND THE MILEAGE ON THE TIRES. THE EAGLE WAS AN OLDER MODEL AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT HAD A ‘SAFE-T PLUS’ INSTALLED. I HAVE HAD 14 MOTORHOMES AND SEVERAL AMERICAN EAGLES. THANKS GEO.
Sophie says
That looks pretty intenese! I’d also be curious to know about the tyres, I wonder if we’ll find out soon, the article was only posted recently…
Ron Melancon says
Should a family get CRUSHED by a person who is 72 years old driving a Monster R.V. and towing a trailer and nobody cares? He drove this on a REGULAR license!!!
The R.V. industry knows the truth….and they do not like our cause because it will cost them profit.
Should a girl die going to Disney World by an out of control Monster R.V.?
Car carrying family crushed in I-65 crash
Mother and children critically injured
Police: Girl injured in I-65 crash dies
Family was headed to Disney World
Nobody but us has picked up on this fact…ANYBODY can drive a R.V. that is bigger than a Greyhound bus and not need formal testing to prove you can drive.
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/family_crushed_in_Crash.html
Another “Lost Control of a RV and still no formal training is required to drive a MONSTER R.V.
http://www2.counton2.com/news/2010/jul/25/i-95_deadly_rv_accident-ar-629049/
Go to our web site…and take note…if you cannot find our information is not the truth…then we should not get crushed by the R.V Industry, the Utility Trailer Industry because we know the facts.
http://www.digtriad.com/news/most_popular/article.aspx?storyid=145321&provider=top
You have a defective tire and also ask…questions….should anybody drive a “Monster RV on a regular license?
Well guess what NO SPECIAL TRAINING…NO SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS TO DRIVE A R.V.!!!!!!!!
GO TO http://www.dangeroustrailers.org
http://www.rvbusiness.com/tag/goodyear-tire-rubber-co/
http://www.beasleyallen.com/focus/Dangerous-RV-Tires/
YOU HAVE DEFECTIVE TIRES…AND NOBODY IS RECALLING!!!! Wake up….
http://dangeroustrailersaccidentsthatjust.blogspot.com/2009/09/photo-essay-ken-greens-battle-to-return.html
http://dangeroustrailersaccidentsthatjust.blogspot.com/2009/09/wis-man-dies-in-i-65-accident-rv-tire.html
http://dangeroustrailers.blogspot.com/2009/09/pro-golfer-ken-green-injured-in-crash.html
http://dangeroustrailers.blogspot.com/2009/09/rv-dealers-raise-alert-in-wake-of-rv.html
Bill says
And if he had a different type of license, that whould have changed the blowout how? Most of your attachments concerned trailer tires – what do they have to do with this crash?
Larry Feather says
Can’t argue with that logic. I’ve thought that all along. They build many of these RVs overweight, with inadequate tires and rims for the excess weight . Heck I saw one that had only 200 lbs carrying capacity. Who’s policing this industry? As stated, anyone with a driver’s license can walk up and drive a 40′ MH that weighs 30- 40K and know nothing about airbrakes, exhaust brakes, etc, etc. The truckers need to have formal driver’s training, along with a separate class/certification on airbrakes. How did the RV industry get around all that? I’m surprised that the trucking industry stands still for this double standard.
pete coffman says
i think you are absolutely right. i own a class A motorhome and i have cdl. it’s scarey when you see these drivers driving these motorhomes. especially the old farts.
SANDRA LEMACKS says
I’m an RV owner. I don’t feel licensing is the problem. The problem is no training. I feel a class should be required. Motorcycle riders need an endorsement proving you took a class.