A 42-year-old woman and a young boy were traveling south on Old Kings Road late this afternoon when, about a mile and half south of Old Kings Elementary school, the Honda Integra the woman was driving swerved right off the road, about 30 feet, and slammed into twin utility poles.
The boy, Nate Truelove, who is 7, was in critical condition. The woman, Leslie Yazurlo, of Flagler Beach, was in stable condition, with minor injuries. Both were taken to nearby Florida Hospital Flagler. At 5:45, a Flagler County’s Fireflight helicopter flew over the scene of the wreck on its way south, to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach. It was carrying the young boy. Nate was later taken to Arnold Palmer children’s hospital in Orlando.
The car was sheared in half, across the rear seat. A sliver of steel kept the two parts barely attached after the car came to rest several feet past the utility pole. The front end was upright, facing northwest. The rear chassis and tires were upside down, facing southwest. From a deep gash on the passenger side, it appeared like the car struck the larger utility pole on that side. Tire tracks were visible from the edge of the road, where the car swerved off, to the two utility poles.
Florida Highway Patrol trooper C. Conrad concluded that Yazurlo’s car veered off the road to the right; Yazurlo then over-corrected twice–first to get back on the road, then to avoid oncoming, northbound traffic, which sent the car back onto west-side grass and against the utility pole. The tire tracks at the scene, however, show a more direct line, suggesting the car drove off the road, skidding on the grass and hitting the pole on the passenger side while trying to steer back to the road.
The wreck took place at about 4:45 p.m. Two units of the Flagler County Fire and Rescue department, led by Capt. Ron Bolser, responded, as did two units of the Florida Highway Patrol. The identity of the 7-year-old passenger was not released, but his address was listed as DeLand in a Florida Highway Patrol report. Both Yazurlo and Nate were wearing seat-belts.
Traffic on the southbound lane of Old Kings Road was closed for an hour. It reopened at 5:45, though Florida Highway Patrol troopers were still at the scene, analyzing the vehicle’s path and trying to determine precisely what had happened. John’s Towing took the vehicle away at about 6:45 p.m.
The wreck caps a violent weekend on Flagler County roads. Late Saturday night, a Jacksonville motorcyclist, Gary Audette, was killed while riding south on I-95, just north of Palm Coast Parkway, after he lost control of the motorcycle. Less than two hours later, a man who had just finished his shift at J.T.’s Seafood Shack on State Road A1A in the Hammock was killed while riding his bike home.
And in Volusia County, 70-year-old Rosa Companioni of West Palm Beach was killed when the van she was in rolled over after a rear tire separated, and the driver, 73-year-old Roberto Companioni, also of West Palm Beach, lost control of the vehicle as it was traveling south in Port Orange. Rosa Companioni was ejected (she was not wearing a seat-belt). The van landed on her.
Wreck on Old Kings Road
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wsh302 says
i don’t think speed was involved, do you?
About Time says
for a vehicle to be split in half like that, i would think speed was involved
Ralph Belcher says
Unibody construction at it’s finest. Hope the victims fully recover soon!
BW says
Lots of prayers for the family and that little boy. Just a horrible accident.
Marie C says
My husband was travelling in the opposite direction and witnessed the car hitting the pole but didn’t see what caused it. He said that car must have been speeding excessively.
I hope both people in the car recover.
Ben D says
What about the JT employee that was killed while bicycling home from work? I heard it on WNZF. Any details? What a crazy and sad weekend.
B says
I wonder if that bald rear tire influenced the wreck.
Danielle says
I was present for the accident and helped respond to the child by administering CPR and clearing his airway. There was no speed involved. The driver lost control . The woman driving is fine and is stable. The child needs lots of prayers and best wishes. He is at Arnold Palmer and in critical condition. We all need to put our heads together as a community and pray for this child and his loving family! Needless to say I went home and held my four year old very close and explained to him the importance of pray and love.
Phil Chanfrau says
Every time I read a really sad story like this one, it reminds me what a client told me after he lost his 17 year old son in a trucking accident: “Thank God the last thing I said to him as he walked out the door was:
“I love you.”
From that date on I have always, always hugged my son and said “I love you.” You can never know when the loss of your child will strike and it is light years more bitter, more depressing, and harder to live with than any other loss of a loved one.
I pray for the sake of this child and his loving family that he survives without permanent impairments.
Prayersfor the angel says
I know this family, this could not be a worse thing to happen. The little boys daddy was lost to horrible traffic accident. Please pray for the little boy. He needs all wishes, and I know his daddy is holding his hand encouraging him to make it. His family needs every encouragement and prayer as well. God Bless.
Uncle brother of his dad says
He is stable but still critical. Your prayers are helping… Please continue to pray for the little guy. He’s tough and I believe he will make it. I want to thank Danielle for everything. Now I need him to get healthy so we can go surfing again and do everything that we did before and more :-)
Anonymous says
I also know the family and am a close friend of his mother… He responded to anurse today by moving his foot.. Keep the prayers coming!
Phoebe (distant family) says
May GOD be with him and his family,i got the prayers going here in Illinois…God has a plan for all his angels,there’s a special one for this little angel i am sure. GOD BLESS
FFJP says
Anybody that has an update concerning the wellbeing of the 7 year old please continue to post (or contact Sta. 92) This was a tough call for FCFR employees. We all did a great job in insuring the best care for these accident victims. Our wishes go out to there family and friends.
cj says
An account in the name of Nathaniel Truelove has been set up at Regions Bank. There are jars around the Daytona area for donations. Please help if you can. Continue to pray for this little boy and this family.
Pat. grandmother of child. says
First I want to thank you for all your prayers. Nate is improving daily. An MRI yesterday, showed no spinal injuries, however he does have a broken right hip along with the femor. the doctors determined the head injury was not as severe as first expected and the pressure is down. The lasceration to the liver is small and will heal. Nate remains heavily sedated to give the brain time to recover. To Danielle , just as his uncle, I add my thanks for being their for my grandson. You gave him a second chance for life and I can’t thank you enough.
I agree with Phil Chanfrau, as my son, Nate’s dad, was killed while helping the victims of another accident. 20 minutes prior to the accident, he left my home, leaving little Nate with me. The last thing we did before he left was give each other a hug and told each other we loved you. I hold that close to my heart to this very day.
michelle says
I am very close to the family and we are all praying no one this young deserves to go through something like this at such a young age ,,, he will pull through i put my faith in the good lord and lil nate is a tough lil bird cant wait till he gets better so he can go to the Daytona 500 in Feb… we love u lil nate…
Sarah says
I heard about this through Maren, I’m thinking of you all at this difficult time. Praying for lil Nate everyday.
ROBIN FRATTIN says
I AM SADDEN BY THE TRAGIC ACCIDENT OF NATHANIEL. AS THE MOTHER OF ONE OF THE CHILDREN THAT LOSS THEIR LIFE WITH NATHANIEL’S DAD 5 YEARS AGO i AM
REALLY TRYING HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS OCCURED IN THE FIRST PLACE. HAS THEIR BEEN A POLICE REPORT THAT HAS BEEN SEEN THAT STATES WHAT HAPPEN? HAS THEIR BEEN BLOOD TEST DRAWN ON THE DRIVER. HAS ANY ONE INQUIRED AS TO WHAT CAUSED THIS? WHERE WILL ALL THE MONEY GO THAT IS BEING COLLECTED. IS THEIR GOING TO BE A TRUST SET UP TO PROTECT NATHANIELS INTERST IN THE FUTURE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS ALL HIS MEDICAL BILLS ARE BEING PAID BY THE STATE, WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH ALL THE FUNDS BEING COLLECTED. AS I PRAY FOR THE RECOVERY OF NATHANIEL AND FOR THE FAMILIES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY ALL OF THIS I HAVE TO WONDER HOW WE ALL GOT TO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.