2019 — Jan 3, Multi-vehicle collision (4); diesel fuel fire, I-75 near Gainesville, FL — 7
–7 Orlando Sentinel. “5 children, 2 adults killed…fiery crash…[I-75] near Gainesville.” 1-4-2019.
Narrative Information
Jan 4: “Seven people were killed — including five children[1] — in a fiery four-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 near Gainesville Thursday afternoon, the Florida Highway Patrol said…the van[2] was heading south from Avoyelles Parish, in the Marksville area of central eastern Louisiana….
“An initial investigation determined that the deadly series of collisions began about 3:40 p.m., when a northbound tractor-trailer truck and a northbound car struck each other. The cause of the initial crash remained under investigation Friday morning[3]….Once in the southbound lanes, the truck smashed into the van as well as another tractor-trailer truck. The van’s occupants were thrown from the vehicle as it overturned from the force of impact, troopers said. Both trucks caught fire.
“In addition to the five children, the crash killed the drivers of both tractor-trailers, neither of whom has been publicly identified
“About six-to-eight people were taken to two local hospitals for injuries, including children and adults. FHP said in a statement Friday morning that the number of injured was ‘still being confirmed.’” (Orlando Sentinel (Jeff Weiner), FL. “5 children, 2 adults killed in ‘heartbreaking’ fiery crash in Interstate 75 near Gainesville.” 1-4-2019.)
Jan 4: “Gainesville, Fla. — The five children killed in a fiery Florida highway crash on their way to Walt Disney World have been identified along with the two truck drivers who also died….The Florida Highway Patrol said Friday that the children were 14-year-olds Joel Cloud and Jeremiah Warren, 13-year-old Care Descant, 10-year-old Briena Descant, and 9-year-old Cierra Bordelan. All were from Marksville, Louisiana, and were in a Pentecostal church van headed to the theme park when the accident happened Thursday afternoon outside Gainesville. The truck drivers were 49-year-old Douglas Bolkema of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and 59-year-old Steve Holland of West Palm Beach….” (ABC 7. “Fiery I-75 church van crash near Gainesville kills 7, including 5 children; victims ID’d.” 1-4-2019.)
Jan 4: “Update, Jan. 4 at 3:30 p.m.: The head of the Louisiana District of the United Pentecostal Church International has issued a statement on Thursday’s crash. It was the church’s van that was headed to Disney World with 12 people inside when it crashed. Louisiana District Superintendent Kevin Cox said three women were in the van that was involved in Thursday’s crash, along with nine children, five of whom died. The three women and four other children are all recovering at hospitals from their injuries….
(WUFT 5. “FHP Gives More Details About Deadly I-75 Crash North of Gainesville.” 1-5-2019.)
Jan 7: “The truck driver at the center of a fiery crash on Interstate 75 near of Gainesville that killed him, another trucker and five children received several traffic tickets over the years. Court records show 59-year-old Steve Holland of West Palm Beach was ticketed between 2000 and 2014 in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia. While most of the citations were minor, including for failing to show proof of insurance or wear a seat belt, two tickets were issued for careless driving and speeding in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
“Holland’s Facebook page indicates that he worked as a contract mail carrier for the Illinois-based trucking company Eagle Express Lines. The company could not be reached for comment Friday, but its Facebook page confirmed that one of its tractor-trailer drivers had died, though it never specifically identified Holland.
“The highway patrol said Friday that Holland was traveling north on Interstate 75 near Gainesville on Thursday when he veered into another car, lost control and went through the center divider, striking a southbound church van from Louisiana and another truck….”
(Gainesville Sun, FL. “Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash had history of traffic tickets.” 1-7-2019.)
Jan 7: “Gainesville, Fla. (WCJB)–TV20 has learned that the truck driver who state troopers say, caused Thursday’s deadly wreck on I-75 has a long story of traffic infractions. In an incident report, troopers say Holland’s semi bumped into a Honda and both traveled across the median and into oncoming traffic…. A court records search of Holland’s home in Palm Beach County found at least 8 cases in 5 states against a Steve Holland going back to 2001. The charges ranged from speeding and careless driving to using an improper license plate and driving an unsafe vehicle….” (WCJB 20, Gainesville. “Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash had several tickets from over the years.” 1-7-2019.)
Sources
ABC 7. “Fiery I-75 church van crash near Gainesville kills 7, including 5 children; victims ID’d.” 1-4-2019. Accessed 1-4-2019 at: https://abc7.com/victims-idd-in-i-75-crash-that-killed-7-including-5-children-going-to-disney/5011463/
Associated Press/Kelly Kennedy. “5 children heading to Disney World among 7 killed in I-75 crash near Gainesville.” Sun Sentinel, FL, 1-4-2019. Accessed 1-4-2019 at: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-ne-20190104-story.html
Gainesville Sun, FL. “Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash had history of traffic tickets.” 1-7-2019. Accessed 1-7-2019 at: https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190107/truck-driver-in-fatal-i-75-crash-had-history-of-traffic-tickets
NBC News. “Five children among seven dead in fiery Florida highway crash.” 1-4-2019. Accessed 1-4-2019 at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-children-among-seven-dead-fiery-florida-highway-crash-n954726
Orlando Sentinel (Jeff Weiner), FL. “5 children, 2 adults killed in ‘heartbreaking’ fiery crash in Interstate 75 near Gainesville.” 1-4-2019. Accessed 1-4-2019 at: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-fiery-crash-gainesville-i75-20190103-story.html
WAFB 9, Baton Rouge, LA. “5 La. Children among 7 dead in FL crash.” 1-4-2019. Accessed 1-4-2019 at: http://www.wafb.com/2019/01/04/la-children-among-dead-fl-crash/
WCJB 20, Gainesville. “Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash had several tickets from over the years.” 1-7-2019. Accessed 1-8-2019 at: https://www.wcjb.com/content/news/Truck-driver-in-fatal-I-75-crash-had-several-tickets-from-over-the-years-504000631.html
WUFT 5 (Grace King and Ethan Magoc). “FHP Gives More Details About Deadly I-75 Crash North of Gainesville.” 1-5-2019. Accessed 1-5-2019 at: https://www.wuft.org/news/2019/01/04/fhp-gives-more-details-about-deadly-i-75-crash-north-of-gainesville/
Additional Reading
Gainesville Sun, FL (Cindy Swirko and Douglas Ray). “I-75 safety: What can be done?” 1-5-2019. Accessed 1-6-2019 at: https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190105/i-75-safety-what-can-be-done
[1] The children were on their way to Disney World. (Associated Press/Kelly Kennedy. “5 children heading to Disney World among 7 killed in I-75 crash near Gainesville.” 1-4-2019.)
[2] There were 12 people in the van. (WUFT 5. “FHP Gives More Details About Deadly I-75 Crash North of Gainesville.” 1-5-2019.) The van belonged to the Avoyelles House of Mercy Church in Marksville, Louisiana. (WAFB 9, Baton Rouge, LA. “5 La. Children among 7 dead in FL crash.” 1-4-2019.)
[3] Was reported later that FL Highway Patrol believed the tractor-trailer driver caused the initial incident. (WCJB 20, Gainesville. “Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash had several tickets from over the years.” 1-7-2019.)