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Five dead after racing crash at runway
FLORIDA TODAY
According to a preliminary Florida Highway Patrol investigation, a 2008 gray BMW with five occupants, ages 18 to 20, was traveling at a high speed on the airstrip.
Five young men are dead after a car they were riding in crashed after traveling off an airport runway at the exclusive “fly-in” community of Jumbolair Aviation Estates early Saturday, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The crash at the community, which is also the home of actor John Travolta, happened at about 3:45 a.m. According to a preliminary Florida Highway Patrol investigation, a 2008 gray BMW with five occupants, ages 18 to 20, was traveling at a high speed on the airstrip.
As it neared the end of the runway, the car skidded and traveled off the end of an 85-foot high embankment, became airborne for 200 feet and struck a large tree.
At impact, the vehicle split in half and the car’s engine separated from the vehicle, scattering pieces of the car over about a 200 square foot area. Three of the five occupants were ejected from the vehicle and all were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Mike Burroughs said.
The victims have been identified as Joshua D. Ammirato, 18, of Fairfield, who was identified as the driver of the $75,000 car; Dustin J. Dawe, 19, also of Fairfield; James Devon Hime, 19, of Anthony; and Jacob James Casey, 19 and Isaac Rubin, 20, both of Ocala. It was not clear if any of the men lived within the gated community.
Four of the men were former students at North Marion High School, where they were members of the wrestling team. Casey graduated from Trinity High School, where he played football. He went on to play football for Jacksonville University.
“There is no doubt this is a terrible tragedy. They should not have been out there,” Burroughs said.
“They were all good students. They all had good personalities and a lot of friends,” said Kathy Quelland, North Marion principal. “We saw them grow up over four years.”
Dawe was known as “Smiley,” she said.
Troopers were still investigating the accident Saturday, and Burroughs said it had not been determined if the young men were wearing seatbelts, how fast the car was going and whether alcohol was involved.
“It is too early to determine if alcohol was involved. There was no visible signs of it,” said Burroughs, who said troopers will await the results of autopsies.
Investigators did not know at this time whether the vehicle was speeding or racing another car.
A telephone listing for Jumbolair rang unanswered on Saturday, and an e-mail sent by The Associated Press to an address listed on the community’s Web site was not immediately returned.
At the black iron gate of the exclusive community, a reporter was asked to leave and told over an intercom that no one was available to talk about the accident.
Jeremy Thayer, co-owner of Jumbolair Aviation Estates, did not return a call to this home phone.
A community memorial and candlelight vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Monday in Ocala.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/BREAKINGNEWS/80126007/1086
Too much money and not enough brains...
FLORIDA TODAY
According to a preliminary Florida Highway Patrol investigation, a 2008 gray BMW with five occupants, ages 18 to 20, was traveling at a high speed on the airstrip.
Five young men are dead after a car they were riding in crashed after traveling off an airport runway at the exclusive “fly-in” community of Jumbolair Aviation Estates early Saturday, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The crash at the community, which is also the home of actor John Travolta, happened at about 3:45 a.m. According to a preliminary Florida Highway Patrol investigation, a 2008 gray BMW with five occupants, ages 18 to 20, was traveling at a high speed on the airstrip.
As it neared the end of the runway, the car skidded and traveled off the end of an 85-foot high embankment, became airborne for 200 feet and struck a large tree.
At impact, the vehicle split in half and the car’s engine separated from the vehicle, scattering pieces of the car over about a 200 square foot area. Three of the five occupants were ejected from the vehicle and all were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Mike Burroughs said.
The victims have been identified as Joshua D. Ammirato, 18, of Fairfield, who was identified as the driver of the $75,000 car; Dustin J. Dawe, 19, also of Fairfield; James Devon Hime, 19, of Anthony; and Jacob James Casey, 19 and Isaac Rubin, 20, both of Ocala. It was not clear if any of the men lived within the gated community.
Four of the men were former students at North Marion High School, where they were members of the wrestling team. Casey graduated from Trinity High School, where he played football. He went on to play football for Jacksonville University.
“There is no doubt this is a terrible tragedy. They should not have been out there,” Burroughs said.
“They were all good students. They all had good personalities and a lot of friends,” said Kathy Quelland, North Marion principal. “We saw them grow up over four years.”
Dawe was known as “Smiley,” she said.
Troopers were still investigating the accident Saturday, and Burroughs said it had not been determined if the young men were wearing seatbelts, how fast the car was going and whether alcohol was involved.
“It is too early to determine if alcohol was involved. There was no visible signs of it,” said Burroughs, who said troopers will await the results of autopsies.
Investigators did not know at this time whether the vehicle was speeding or racing another car.
A telephone listing for Jumbolair rang unanswered on Saturday, and an e-mail sent by The Associated Press to an address listed on the community’s Web site was not immediately returned.
At the black iron gate of the exclusive community, a reporter was asked to leave and told over an intercom that no one was available to talk about the accident.
Jeremy Thayer, co-owner of Jumbolair Aviation Estates, did not return a call to this home phone.
A community memorial and candlelight vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Monday in Ocala.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/BREAKINGNEWS/80126007/1086
Too much money and not enough brains...
