Three Troy residents killed in Florida crash

[Queenie]

Three Troy residents killed in Florida crash
Updated: 8/8/2005 8:49 PM
By: Capital News 9 web staff



Three Troy residents were killed in a head-on collision on an interstate near Daytona Beach, Florida Sunday night.

Annette Balistreri, 40, and Dominick and Carole Nichols, ages 72 and 67, were killed when another driver crossed the Interstate 4 median and slammed into their car. Balistreri was behind the wheel. The Nichols were in the backseat.

Another passenger in their rental car, Melissa Shufon, 38, is listed in serious condition.

Police are now looking into whether the driver of the other car had been drinking.

[Queenie]

How tragic.

Annette was a great person. :cry2:

[Bob]

Yeah my mom said several of her co-workers had to leave early once they found out. The guy ended up with a DUI and this was his 4th offense. I think 3 cases of vehicular manslaughter is too late for repeat offenders. 3 more reasons to rethink the legality of substances that 'society' deems safe to consume.

[Venus]

Yeah my mom said several of her co-workers had to leave early once they found out. The guy ended up with a DUI and this was his 4th offense. I think 3 cases of vehicular manslaughter is too late for repeat offenders. 3 more reasons to rethink the legality of substances that 'society' deems safe to consume.

I so agree with what you say
"3 more reasons to rethink the legality of substances that 'society' deems safe to consume."
That has always been my fear when we go out. Its not us we always have one of us as designated driver. Its the person coming down the road in the opposite direction.

My condolences to their friends and family for this tragic lost.

[Queenie]

Yeah my mom said several of her co-workers had to leave early once they found out. The guy ended up with a DUI and this was his 4th offense. I think 3 cases of vehicular manslaughter is too late for repeat offenders. 3 more reasons to rethink the legality of substances that 'society' deems safe to consume.


Yeah I was going to ask you if your mom was close to her...

[Queenie]

I tried to attach a pciture of the car, but it said the file was too big.. :hmm:

[Bob]

I tried to attach a pciture of the car, but it said the file was too big.. :hmm:

http://capitalnews9.com/media/2005/8/9/images/01______whitecar2.jpg
This will do for now.

[Queenie]

Sad part is, the other driver, who had been drinking only had minor injuries.

[Bob]

Holy shit! That is so sad. Makes ya think twice about getting behind the wheel after you have been drinking.

There should be no thinking involved. Don't do it. Simple as that. No one really learns anything until it happens to them.

[Queenie]

Rob found this article that pertains to the crash..


Crossover accident shatters N.Y. family
Florida state troopers suspect alcohol played a role in Sunday's triple fatality on Interstate 4.

By Kristen Reed | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted August 9, 2005

Even though they were divorced, Dominick Nichols, 72, and Carole Nichols, 67, decided months ago to gather their three grown children for a vacation in Orlando.

The Troy, N.Y., residents wanted to share in taking their 9- and 13-year-old grandchildren on their first trips to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, and they realized they might not have many more opportunities.

But on the first day of their trip, they drove to Daytona Beach to visit Dominick's nephew. It was a fatal decision.

On the way back to Orlando late Sunday, the family's reunion ended in tragedy when a car headed the opposite direction crossed the Interstate 4 median and slammed head-on into the Nichols' rental car, killing both the couple and their 40-year-old daughter, Annette Balistreri. The cars collided near DeLand, just east of the State Road 44 exit, in a stretch of I-4 with no guardrails.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said Monday that they suspect the driver of the other car -- David Michael Brown, 32, of Daytona Beach -- had been drinking and that alcohol contributed to the crash. Spokeswoman Kim Miller said Brown's blood was drawn and charges are pending the toxicology results.

"We don't know why he crossed over," Miller said, adding it was raining at the time.

Brown was convicted of driving under the influence in 1998, according to state records.

Brown and his two passengers -- Jessica Palmer, 25, of Orange Park, and 11-year-old Matthew Washington of Texas -- suffered minor injuries in the crash. Brown was in satisfactory condition and Palmer in fair condition at Halifax Medical Center, spokeswoman Kate Holcomb said Monday.

The Nicholses were partially ejected from their rental car during the impact and died at the scene. They were not wearing seat belts. Balistreri, who was driving, wore a seat belt.

Daughter Melissa Shufon, 40, was the only survivor in the car and remained in fair condition Monday at Halifax Medical Center.

"She's kind of banged up," her husband, Steven Shufon, said from Troy, where all the relatives lived. "I think she's still kind of in shock."

Son Ronald Nichols and his two children were not traveling on the highway with the family.

[Queenie]

Update:

A Florida television station is reporting the driver that hit them, a Daytona Beach man, has four prior DWI convictions -- and his license has been revoked for seven of the last 11 years.

[mb*]

Sad part is, the other driver, who had been drinking only had minor injuries.

usually drunk drivers come out of wrecks better than sober drivers/passengers.

they don't have the motor skills or reflexes at that point to tense up, and thats what causes a lot of injury.

edit: in no way am i condoning drinking and driving. it's a bad idea all around, and most of the accidents can be avoided in the first place by not getting behind the wheel shitfaced.