lornajarrettblanchard

— 21  Storm Prediction Center, NWS, NOAA. SPC Storm Reports for 5-10-2008.

— 21  Tornado Project Online. Recent Tornadoes, US Killer Tornadoes of 2008.

— 21  NWS. Mother’s Day Weekend Tornado in [OK and MO], May 10, 2008,  Oct 2009, iv.

 

Missouri          (15)

—  1  Barry Co., Purdy vic. NWS WFO Springfield, MO. “Tornadic Storms Hit…[SW MO].

—  1  Jasper Co., Carthage vic. NWS WFO Springfield, MO. “Tornadic Storms Hit…[SW MO].

—  1  Newton Co., Fairview vic. NWS WFO Springfield, MO. “Tornadic Storms Hit…[SW MO].

–12  Newton Co., Racine vic. NWS WFO Springfield, MO. “Tornadic Storms Hit…[SW MO].

 

Oklahoma       (  6)

— 6  Lawrence Journal-World, KS. “Dozens may be dead after Midwest storms.” 5-11-2008, 1.

— 6  Ottawa Co., Picher. NWS. Mother’s Day Weekend Tornado…May 10, 2008, 2009, p. 16.

— 6  Picher. NWS WFO Tulsa, OK. May 10, 2008 Severe Weather Outbreak. 4-5-2010 update.

 

General

 

NWS: “Mother’s Day Weekend, May 10-11, 2008, brought severe weather to many sections of the country. The greatest impact was in northeast Oklahoma and southwest Missouri. A tornado, rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, moved southeast from the town of Picher, Oklahoma, into southwest Missouri. The tornado caused 21 fatalities.” (Preface, p. iv.)

 

“Eighteen tornadoes touched down in the WFOs Tulsa and Springfield CWAs[1] on May 10, with 14 of those tornadoes affecting the Tulsa CWA. More than 460 severe weather events were reported during this outbreak, which stretched from eastern Oklahoma and Kansas to the southeast Atlantic Coast…

 

“This report focuses on one violent tornado that moved through northeast Oklahoma and southwest Missouri on Saturday, May 10, 2008…The tornado, which reached EF4, devastated the town of Picher, Oklahoma, resulting in six fatalities. The tornado continued into southwest Missouri, causing another 15 fatalities, the vast majority in Newton County, Missouri. All 21 fatalities for the event occurred where tornado watches and warnings were in effect….SPC[2] issued a tornado watch nearly 6 hours before the first tornado touchdown in the area. WFO Tulsa issued a tornado warning with a mean lead time of 14 minutes, and WFO Springfield followed by issuing a tornado warning with a mean lead time of 24 minutes. Both WFOs exceeded the 2008 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goal for tornado warning lead time (mean lead time), which was 11 minutes….” (p. 6.)

 

“The Picher-Newton County Supercell:

 

“The supercell that eventually moved through Picher, Oklahoma, and Newton County, Missouri (causing 21 fatalities), began around 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10, in northern Washington County, Oklahoma, near the Kansas border. It formed near the surface low pressure center and just ahead of the dryline. The storm moved east-northeast and merged with another thunderstorm (not a supercell) in Craig County, Oklahoma, along the Kansas-Oklahoma border at 5:17 p.m., intensifying rapidly by 5:21 p.m…The tornado touched down at 5:20 p.m. in WFO Tulsa’s CWA, 9 miles north northwest of Welch, Oklahoma.

 

“The tornado entered Picher, Oklahoma, around 5:40 p.m…The parent thunderstorm also started to move south of due east. In operational meteorology, this is called a “right turning” thunderstorm and is an indication a thunderstorm’s rotation has become strong enough to cause it to veer in a direction different from the ambient steering winds. Tornadoes form from the internal rotation of a thunderstorm. The stronger the rotation, the greater the chance a tornado can form and the greater the potential the tornado has to become strong. The “right turning” of this thunderstorm created some significant challenges in the decision-making of the WFOs and is discussed more in section 5.2. At 5:54 p.m., the tornado crossed the Oklahoma and Missouri border and entered into Newton County, Missouri (WFO Springfield’s CWA).” (pp. 7-8)

 

(NWS. Mother’s Day Weekend Tornado in [OK and MO], May 10, 2008,  Oct 2009.)

 

 

Tornado Project: “A long-track EF-4 tornado [Enhanced Fujita Scale]  moved east-southeast, destroying hundreds of homes in northeastern Oklahoma and southwest Missouri, killing 21 people and injuring more than 200. Six of the deaths were in the town of Picher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Pollution from lead mining had caused much of the town to be abandoned and the tornado probably caused the final blow to Picher’s existence as a town. In Missouri, 12 of the 15 deaths occurred at Racine, before the funnel passed just north of Neosho, crossing Newton and Barry Counties Five people were killed in a car as they were driving to a wedding. Another died seeking shelter in a car on the side of a road. A separate EF-1 tornado killed one person in Jasper County, Missouri when a tree fell on a trailer in Avilla.” (Tornado Project, US Killer Tornadoes of 2008.)

Oklahoma

 

NWS WFO, Tulsa: “Severe thunderstorms erupted across Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas during the late afternoon and evening hours of May 10, 2008 as a cold front/dry line moved into the extremely moist and unstable airmass that was in place across the region. There were at least 11 tornadoes across the area with numerous hail and high wind reports. The most significant tornado occurred in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. This EF-4 Tornado caused extensive damage in the town of Picher, Oklahoma and resulted in 6 fatalities….” (NWS WFO, Tulsa. May 10, 2008 Severe Weather Outbreak. 4-5-2010 update.)

 

Sources

 

Lawrence Journal-World, KS. “Dozens may be dead after Midwest storms.” 5-11-2008, 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=171100897

 

National Weather Service. Service Assessment. Mother’s Day Weekend Tornado in Oklahoma and Missouri, May 10, 2008. Silver Spring, MD: NWS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Oct 2009, 38 pages. Accessed 6-27-2015 at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/assessments/pdfs/mothers_day09.pdf

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Springfield, MO. “…Tornadic Storms Hit Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri…” 9-22-2009 modification. Accessed 6-2-2012 at: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/sgf/?n=may10_2008_tornadoes

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Tulsa, OK. May 10, 2008 Severe Weather Outbreak. 4-5-2010 update. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=weather-event_may10_2008

 

Storm Prediction Center. SPC Storm Reports for 05/10/08. Norman, OK: SPC, National Weather Service, NOAA. Accessed at: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/080510_rpts.html

 

Tornado Project Online. Recent Tornadoes, US Killer Tornadoes of 2008. Accessed at: http://www.tornadoproject.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] County Warning Area.

[2] Storm Prediction Center.

— 10  NFPA. “Catastrophic Multiple Death Fire in Brockway Pennsylvania.” 4-3-2008.

— 10  USA Today/AP. “Police: 10 dead in Pa. house fire.” 4-3-2008.

— 10  WESB News.  Brockway Mourns Fire Victims – Memorial Monday.  April 4, 2008

 

April 3, USA Today/AP: “Brockway, PA (AP) — The lights and sirens awakened Lori Anderson and her husband about 3 a.m. as smoke and flames poured out of their neighbors’ modest house. The couple ran outside and asked rescue workers if everyone in the big family — three generations under one roof — had gotten out. “They said no, they’re all in there,” Anderson said.

 

“Ten people died in the fire, all but one of them teenagers or younger. Two people escaped, including an adult daughter who jumped from the second floor and ran naked and screaming for help, authorities in rural Brockway said. The family patriarch had been working the overnight shift at a factory in a nearby town….

 

“Fire Chief Kris Benson said the front of the house was ablaze when he arrived at 2:50 a.m. He tried to enter through a side door, but was forced back by smoke and flames. “This fire had a very, very good jump on us,” the chief said….

 

“All 10 victims were found inside the house. State police identified them as Kimberly Peterson, 40; Rebecca Peterson, 17, and her daughter Cailyn Watson, 4 months; Douglas Peterson III, 13; Isaac Peterson, 8; Grace Peterson, 6; Lillian Peterson, 11 months; Domanic Delullo, 4; Desirre Delullo, 2; and Jason Mowry, 19, a family friend….

 

“The fire’s cause remains under investigation…There were space heaters in the home, state police Lt. Scott Neal said. Authorities did not immediately know if the house had working smoke detectors.” (USA Today. “Police: 10 dead in Pa. house fire.” 4-3-2008.)

 

April 4, WESB News: “Ten people died this morning after fire swept through a house outside Brockway, The 10 people killed ranged in age from 4 months to 40 years old.” (WESB News. “Brockway Mourns Fire Victims – Memorial Monday.” April 4, 2008.)

 

Sources

 

National Fire Protection Association. “Catastrophic Multiple Death Fire in Brockway Pennsylvania.” 4-3-2008. Accessed 6-27-2015 at: http://www.nfpa.org/press-room/news-releases/2008/catastrophic-multiple-death-fire-in-brockway–pennsylvania

 

WESB News. “Brockway Mourns Fire Victims – Memorial Monday.” April 4, 2008. Accessed at: http://solomonswords.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html

 

USA Today/AP. “Police: 10 dead in Pa. house fire.” 4-3-2008. Accessed 6-27-2015 at: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-04-03-pa-fire_N.htm

 

 

— 5  NTSB AAR. Crash of Cessna 500…IN-Flight Collision with Large Birds, Oklahoma City

— 5  NTSB. “NTSB to Meet on 2008 Oklahoma City Cessna Bird Strike Crash,” July 20, 2009.

 

NTSB July 20, 2009 Press Release: “On March 4, 2008, about 3:15 p.m. (CST), a Cessna 500, N113SH, registered to Southwest Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic PC of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and operated by Interstate Helicopters of Bethany, Oklahoma, collided in flight with a flock of large birds and crashed about 2 minutes after takeoff from Wiley Post Airport (PWA) in Oklahoma City. Both pilots and the three passengers were killed and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire.” (“NTSB to Meet on 2008 Oklahoma City Cessna Bird Strike Crash,” 7-20-2009.)

 

NTSB Investigation Report Executive Summary: “On March 4, 2008, about 1515 central standard time, a Cessna 500, N113SH, registered to Southwest Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic PC of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, entered a steep descent and crashed about 2 minutes after takeoff from Wiley Post Airport (PWA) in Oklahoma City. None of the entities associated with the flight  claimed to be its operator. The pilot, the second pilot, and the three passengers were killed, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 with an instrument flight rules flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from the ramp of Interstate Helicopters (a 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand helicopter operator at PWA) and was en route to Mankato Regional Airport, Mankato, Minnesota, carrying company executives who worked for United Engines and United Holdings, LLC.

 

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was airplane wing-structure damage sustained during impact with one or more large birds (American white pelicans), which resulted in a loss of control of the airplane.

 

“The safety issues discussed in this report focus on airframe certification standards for bird strikes, inadequate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enforcement of wildlife hazard assessment requirements for airports located near wildlife attractants, the lack of published information regarding aircraft operational strategies for pilots to minimize bird-strike damage to aircraft, and inadequate FAA detection of and intervention in improper charter operations. Safety recommendations concerning these issues are addressed to the FAA.” (p. vii)

 

“2.4 Identity of the Operator

 

“Following the accident, representatives from Interstate Helicopters, Southwest Orthopedic, and United Engines all denied responsibility for operating the flight, and no documented aircraft lease, time-sharing, pilot services, or other agreements were discovered to help determine the identity of the operator or the nature of the flight (commercial or noncommercial). The accident pilot was certificated, trained, and qualified to fly the accident airplane in noncommercial operations as a single pilot. The second pilot was not trained, qualified, or current to fly the accident airplane; however, because the pilot was authorized to fly the accident airplane as a single pilot, the second pilot could occupy a cockpit seat and assist the pilot as directed.

 

“On September 12, 2008, the FAA initiated an emergency revocation of Interstate Helicopters’ operating certificate based on Interstate Helicopters’ involvement with the accident airplane on the date of the accident. The NTSB concludes that, at the time of the accident, Interstate Helicopters was operating the accident airplane in commercial service contrary to its FAA-issued Part 135 operating certificate, which, at the time, did not authorize operation of the accident airplane or any other fixed-wing aircraft. However, neither the pilot nor the second pilot were trained or qualified to fly the accident airplane in any Part 135 commercial charter operation, and the accident airplane was not maintained in accordance with Part 135 commercial maintenance requirements.

 

“Although Interstate Helicopters held a valid Part 135 operating certificate, its certificate was for helicopter operations. However, Interstate Helicopters’ actions with regard to the accident flight gave the customer all outward appearances that the flight was a commercial charter flight. When a United Engines representative requested the flight from PWA to MKT, Interstate Helicopters’ owner ensured that an airplane and pilots were provided. Interstate Helicopters’ manager had quoted flat total rates in response to requests for similar flights in the past, and, as evidenced from previous invoices, Interstate Helicopters would likely have been paid directly for the accident flight. Further, the passengers arrived at Interstate Helicopters’ ramp to board the accident airplane and were greeted by Interstate Helicopters’ manager, who assisted with their bags, obtained their weight information, and ensured that the airplane had been cleaned and stocked. From the passengers’ perspective, all of Interstate Helicopters’ actions with regard to the accident flight mirrored the typical services that a Part 135 operator would perform when providing a compliant commercial charter flight, and the president of United Engines stated that he believed that the flight was a charter.

 

“Although Interstate Helicopters’ owner claimed that he merely “put together” a dry lease arrangement for the customers, there is no evidence that United Engines, after requesting a flight

from Interstate Helicopters, had ever directly paid any airplane owners for the use of an airplane or had separately paid any pilots for their services, as would be expected in a dry lease arrangement. Further, although Interstate Helicopters had billed United Engines for previous flights using invoices that itemized certain costs to appear to conform to the cost-sharing provisions of 14 CFR 91.501(d), it did not do so in a consistent way; some invoices itemized expenses, others billed for a flat amount, and at least one “sales demo” flight transported passengers to multiple cities and billed an hourly rate for the airplane. The NTSB concludes that

Interstate Helicopters repeatedly labeled invoices as “aircraft lease” and “sales demo” flights, effectively disguising the noncompliant charter flights and circumventing the terms of its operating certificate.

 

“Although Interstate Helicopters was the accident flight’s operator, several individuals — the aircraft owner and his pilot, the accident pilot-in-command, and the customers — had the ability to prevent the operation by choosing not to participate but failed to do so, either because they did not fully understand that the arrangement was improper or they did know but disregarded the rules. Scenarios in which parties either inadvertently or intentionally participate in improper charter operations is not a new concern; FAA AC 91-37A, which advises potential aircraft lease or charter customers to be wary of “devious leases and conditional sales contracts” designed to “[evade] compliance with applicable certification and operating rules,” is a January 16, 1978, update to a document originally issued in 1972. This AC observed more than 30 years ago that “there are some irresponsible companies that may use various ways to confuse the issue concerning who is the actual aircraft operator. For example, the sham ‘dry lease’ has been used, whereby [the customer is] provided with an aircraft on a lease basis, although it is actually serviced and flown by the leasing company.”

 

“The NTSB is also concerned that some of these practices may be fostered by pilots who are reluctant to question suspicious operations for fear that they may lose their jobs or contract work, aircraft owners or managers who are either ignorant of or complacent about improper operations conducted with their aircraft by lessees, and/or bargain-hunting customers who are aware of the noncompliant nature of a flight but do not fully understand the potential safety and regulatory implications associated with it.

 

“Given the apparent decades-long existence of operational issues similar to those which were observed in this accident, a combination of measures must be taken to ensure that all participants in each facet of a flight operation—the operators, pilots, aircraft owners and managers, aircraft lessees, and charter customers—are aware of and take responsibility for their respective roles. The following analysis describes how expanded lease disclosure, pilot reporting, and carriage disclosure requirements, as well as improved customer awareness resources and Federal oversight and surveillance, could help prevent improper charter operations.

 

“2.4.1 Lease Disclosure Requirements

 

“Postaccident interviews with all the parties who participated in the flight resulted in conflicting accounts of their respective roles. The airplane’s owner stated that he was not sure what a dry lease was and that his pilot handled all the arrangements. The owner’s pilot (a current airline pilot with previous Part 135 charter experience) said that Interstate Helicopters operated the flight. Interstate Helicopters’ owner claimed that the airplane owner’s pilot was responsible for it and that the airplane was dry leased to United Engines. The president of United Engines said that his company did not lease or purchase aircraft block time and that he thought that the flight was a charter. In the wake of the accident, nobody claimed responsibility for operating the flight; without any written agreements, the determination of the operator could only be made after extensive investigative efforts, which included reviewing records of financial transactions.

 

“The investigation revealed that Interstate Helicopters made available to customers the accident airplane and several others under arrangements that it invoiced as aircraft leases. Some of these airplanes (including the accident airplane) that appeared on Interstate Helicopters’ invoices to the passengers’ company did not meet the FAA definition of a “large” airplane (maximum certificated takeoff weight of more than 12,500 lbs), which means that these airplanes were not subject to the 14 CFR 91.23 truth-in-leasing requirements for disclosing operational control, filing copies of leases with the FAA, and notifying the local FSDO before any flights were conducted. The NTSB concludes that the absence of written lease and FAA notification requirements for airplanes that do not meet the FAA definition of “large” increases the likelihood

that airplane owners, managers, lessees, operators, and customers could either intentionally or inadvertently participate in improper charters involving such airplanes and that it hinders the FAA’s ability to detect and correct such activity.

 

“A wide variety of airplanes, like the accident airplane, have a maximum certificated takeoff weight of 12,500 lbs or less, and a new class of very light jets (VLJs) is emerging. A VLJ is, by convention, a jet airplane with a maximum takeoff weight of less than 10,000 lbs that is approved for single-pilot operation and can typically seat four to eight people. Several manufacturers have VLJs either in production or under development, and an FAA forecast estimates that 4,875 VLJs will enter the U.S. active fleet by 2025. The NTSB is concerned that, as more airplanes that are smaller than “large ,” as defined by FAA regulations, become widely available and are often used in charter operations, these airplanes will be attractive to improper operators seeking to exploit their ability to operate undetected through the use of lease agreements that are not disclosed to the FAA. The NTSB concludes that 14 CFR 91.23 truth-in-leasing regulations, which exclude an expanding class of turbine-powered airplanes, leave aircraft charter customers vulnerable to operators that attempt to circumvent commercial charter regulations. Therefore, the NTSB recommends that the FAA revise 14 CFR 91.23 truth-in-leasing regulations to include all turbine-powered airplanes.” (pp. 40-43.) ….

 

“2.5 Federal Aviation Administration Oversight and Surveillance.

 

“Despite having a qualified inspector workforce and a documented record of inspections and correspondence with Interstate Helicopters, the Oklahoma City FSDO did not prevent Interstate Helicopters from operating what was likely multiple noncompliant charter flights. In the 3 years that preceded the accident, Interstate Helicopters operated at least 19 flights for United Engines using at least nine different airplanes that were not listed in its operations specifications. During that time frame, the FSDO targeted Interstate Helicopters for inspections at least twice—once in January 2007 in response to a complaint and once in November 2007 as part of a required operational control inspection—but still failed to identify the noncompliant operations….One maintenance provider stated that he had not seen an FAA inspector conduct a ramp check at PWA in 8 to 10 years….” (p. 46.)

 

“3. Conclusions

 

“3.1 Findings….

 

4. The current airframe certification standards for bird strikes are insufficient because they are not based on bird-strike risks to aircraft derived from analysis of current bird-strike and bird-population data and trends and because they allow for lower levels of bird-strike protection for some structures on the same airplane.

….

 

6. Because an airport’s wildlife hazard management plan is based on a wildlife hazard assessment, Wiley Post Airport’s failure to perform such an assessment as required prevented the determination of what mitigation measures, if any, could have been implemented to reduce the risk of an in-flight collision with American white pelicans.

 

….

 

10. Although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken measures to increase the aviation community’s awareness of the importance of voluntary wildlife-strike reporting, a wildlife-strike reporting requirement would improve the quality of the data in the FAA National Wildlife Strike Database.

….

 

20. A comprehensive aircraft charter guide that includes both basic information and reliable, up-to-date Federal Aviation Administration information on the certification status of on-demand commercial operators and the aircraft that each is authorized to operate is needed to provide customers with a single-source reference to ensure the legitimacy of their charter service options.

 

21. The level of emphasis that the Oklahoma City Flight Standards District Office placed on conducting surveillance activities at Wiley Post Airport, which included limited inspector visits and a 2-hour on-site inquiry into a complaint about Interstate Helicopters, was insufficient to detect or deter improper charter activity at the airport.

….”  (pp. 50-52.)

 

(NTSB AAR. Crash of Cessna 500, N113SH Following an IN-Flight Collision with Large Birds, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, March 4, 2008, adopted 7-28-2009.)

 

Sources

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Crash of Cessna 500, N113SH Following an IN-Flight Collision with Large Birds, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, March 4, 2008. (NTSB/AAR-09/05). Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 7-28-2009, 68 pages. Accessed 6-27-2015 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR0905.pdf

 

National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB to Meet on 2008 Oklahoma City Cessna Bird Strike Crash,” Washington, DC: NTSB Press Release, Aviation List, July 20, 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 –8  Castaneda (Washington Post). “Men Charged in Race Lied, Prosecutors Say.” 8-5-2008.

–8  Frederick News-Post, MD.  “8 Killed When Drag Race Turns Deadly.” 2-17-2008, A8.

–8  Frederick News-Post, MD.  “Celebrated in pop culture, street racing thrives.” 3-1-2008, 4.

–8  Garner. “Defense questions cops’ credibility in racing trial.” SoMdNews.Com. 2-19-2010.

–8  Garner. “Police breakup Indian Head Highway street race in Accokeek.” Gazette.Net, 7-2-10

–8  Garner. “Waldorf man gets 15 years for role in street race deaths.” SoMdNews.Com 3-10-10

–8  Graff, Michael. “Two Lanes to Accokeek.” SBNation, 6-4-2015.

–8  Manning, Stephen (AP). “8 die in Maryland as car slams into crowd watching drag race.”

–8  Spak, Kevin.  “8 Killed in Street Race Crash.” Newser, 2-16-2008.

–8  The Capital, Annapolis, MD.  “Driver in crash gets community service…” 3-28-2008, 4.

–8  WJLA.com. “Tavon Taylor, street racer accused of killing 8, trial delayed.” 9-19-2011.

 

Narrative Information

 

Feb 16, 2008: “A driver skidded into a crowd of street-race spectators in Maryland this morning and killed eight people, but later told police he was not part of the race, the Washington Post reports. The driver and at least four others were injured in the crash, which also killed the car’s passenger. “It was a very horrific scene,” one policeman said. “There are a lot of questions we still need answers to.”

 

“The driver told police he was blinded by drag-racers on Indian Head Highway, a known speed strip, and barreled blindly into the crowd.  Police suspect that racers and spectators fled the scene but have not yet pressed charges. About 40 family members huddled at the cold crash site this morning, watching investigators bag clothing, shoes, and other items from the victims.”  (Spak, Kevin.  “8 Killed in Street Race Crash.” Newser, 2-16-2008.)

 

Feb 17, 2008: “Accokeek (AP) — William Gaines Sr. liked to watch street racing — about once a week he would go out with crowds to lonely stretches of road in the suburbs of Washington to see cars test their speed in the underground sport.  Early Saturday morning, his hobby took a fatal turn. According to his daughter, Gaines was one of eight people killed when a Ford Crown Victoria sedan plowed into a crowd of street racing fans who had spilled onto a highway to see two other cars race.  Five others were injured in the crash that left a gruesome scene of mangled bodies tossed across the road and on the grassy shoulder.

 

“Crystal Gaines said she saw the sedan approaching from behind after the street racers sped down the northbound lanes of Route 210.  She pulled her daughter out of the way, but William Gaines, 61, hobbled by a broken leg, couldn’t move fast enough.  “I hollered, ‘Daddy, Daddy!’ There were bodies laying everywhere,” said Gaines, who was uninjured.  “He wasn’t breathing, he wasn’t moving. His body was in pieces.”

 

“Police said the victims ranged in age from about 20 to 60 years old. They had gathered on a road that some local residents and relatives of those who were killed said was a popular spot for the illegal races.  Smooth and relatively flat, the divided highway is surrounded by only a few businesses, with no houses in the immediate area….

 

“Hours after the crash, bodies covered by white sheets still lay across a 50-foot stretch of the road before they were removed by the medical examiner.  Authorities had sheared off the doors of the car, which had a crumpled hood and a partially collapsed roof.  Shoes were strewn about in the grass next to the road. A pair of dark skid marks were visible on the highway.

 

“Police said the incident was likely the tragic result of poor judgment by racing fans who crowded into the divided highway to watch two street racers speed off and bad visibility that kept the approaching driver from seeing them.

 

“According to police, two cars had lined up for a race shortly before 4 a.m. They spun their wheels, kicking up smoke, then sped off, Copeland said.  The crowd then moved into the road to watch the cars drive away.  The combination of the smoke and the dark morning likely meant the driver of the approaching Crown Victoria could not see the crowd.

 

“Police interviewed the driver of the Crown Victoria, but no charges were pending, said Cpl. Clinton Copeland, a spokesman for the Prince George’s County police department. Authorities were also looking for the drivers of the two cars involved in the race.  Gaines said the Crown Victoria didn’t have its lights on, but police were not able to confirm that.

 

“A tractor-trailer that came by shortly afterward may also have struck someone on the roadside as it tried to avoid the crash scene, about 20 miles south of Washington.

 

“A passion for street racing was something some of the victims had in common, according to relatives who gathered at the scene of the crash.  Mark Courtney, 33, of St. Mary’s County, was a

racing fan, according to his brothers, who waited for most of the morning before identifying his body from a digital photo shown to them by police.  He left behind a large family — three children, seven siblings and his parents.  “He liked going to the racetrack, watching races,” said John Courtney.

 

“Also awaiting news of her brother was Marion Neal, who feared he was among the dead lying on the road. She knew he had gone to the race, but the family had not been in touch with him since then.  “It’s a tragedy,” she said. “I don’t like racing, but that was his hobby. He loves to watch.”

 

“Copeland said police had not received any complaints about racing in the section of Route 210 where the crash occurred.  But some local residents said it was common knowledge that people liked to race on the road that runs from the Capital Beltway into southern Maryland.  “Stuff like that shouldn’t be done here. It’s a problem,” said Denee Hines, whose mother owns a hair salon only a few hundred feet from the site of the accident, “Everyone knows about it, but I’ve never heard of it getting this bad”.” (Frederick News-Post, MD. “8 Killed When Drag Race Turns Deadly.” 2-17-2008, A8.)

 

Feb 18, 2008 (AP): “Accokeek, Md. …. About 50 people were gathered….The Crown Victoria, which had a crumpled hood and a partially collapsed roof, ended up down an embankment with one of the victims lodged inside…. The victims’ ages ranged from their 20s to 60s, police said. Seven people were pronounced dead at the scene, and an eighth died later at a hospital. Police said a body found in the car was one of the spectators and not a passenger, as they had previously assumed.

 

“Route 210 is a thoroughfare with two lanes in each direction and few traffic lights along the stretch where the accident occurred.  The road is flanked by some businesses but has little traffic in the early morning, Copeland said. The speed limit is 55 miles per hour.  Police said that street races are not uncommon on the stretch of road, but that most occur in the summer and involve motorcycles.  But relatives said some of the victims often went to see races held late at night on isolated stretches of road.”  (Manning, Stephen (AP). “8 die in Maryland as car slams into crowd watching drag race.” Winchester Star, VA, 2-18-2008, 3.)

 

March 1, 2008 (Frederick News-Post: “….According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 804 people were killed in racing-related crashes between 2001 and 2006, California had 188 of those deaths, with Texas second at 128.  After declining in the first half of the decade, street-racing deaths are on the rise again, climbing roughly 35 percent from 111 in 2005 to 150 in 2006, NHTSA said….

 

“Some Maryland lawmakers said they plan to introduce legislation that would allow Prince George’s County authorities to use cameras to catch speeders and discourage street racing.  County officials also said they plan to stop up patrols of known race sites.  “You’ve got a group of people who are secretive.  They gather, and within 30 seconds they move out.  It’s been very difficult for our police department” to stop racing, said Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson.

 

“Other cities and states have tried to put the brakes on street racing, with mixed success.  In California, authorities seize cars and have them publicly crushed at junkyards.  A state law makes street racing punishable with prison time, and some jurisdictions make it illegal even to watch a race.  In Washington state, some communities have installed short speed bumps on stretches of roads popular with racers to keep drivers from building up speed.  Kent, near Seattle, even invited drivers to bring their cars to the relative safety of a track and compete against police cars.  Not many showed up….

 

“Of the eight people killed and at least five injured in the Maryland crash, the youngest was 15, the oldest 61….

 

“Many former street racers have moved to tracks where they can race or watch for a fee.  At Maryland International Raceway, known as Budds Creek, drivers can race on a closed track with safety equipment nearby.  Spectators are kept at a safe distance.  But street racing fans say many drivers, especially the younger ones, don’t want to pay $20 to race when they can do it for free on the roads.  Tracks in colder climates generally shut down for the winter. And the thrill is just not the same when it’s legal….” (Frederick News-Post, MD. “Celebrated in pop culture, street racing thrives.” 3-1-2008, Auto-4)

 

March 28, 2008 (The Capital): “La Plata (AP) — A man who drove his car into a crowd watching an illegal street race last month was ordered yesterday to perform community service for an unrelated traffic infraction.

 

“A Charles County judge set 32 hours of community service for Darren Bullock as punishment for a May 27 citation for driving with a suspended license.  Mr. Bullock, 20, did not speak during the brief hearing in District Court or comment afterward.  Mr. Bullock was behind the wheel of a white Crown Victoria that plowed into the crowd gathered on Route 210 in the early morning of Feb. 16 in Accokeek to watch two cars race.  Eight people were killed.

 

“Mr. Bullock’s license was suspended at the time of the crash.  His attorney, John McKenna, said after yesterday’s hearing that the license has since been reinstated.  But a spokesman for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, Buel Young, said the license was still suspended as of yesterday afternoon….

 

“No charges have been filed in the case, but Prince George’s County police and prosecutors are still investigating.  Mr. McKenna said authorities have given no indication that they plan to file charges against Mr. Bullock.  “I don’t think there would be any reason for Darren Bullock to realize that at 3 a.m. there would be people in the middle of a major highway,” he said.

 

“Mr. McKenna said in the May case, Mr. Bullock lost his license for accumulating too many points for traffic offenses.  His mother requested an MVA hearing on the decision and mailed in a $125 check, which Mr. McKenna said led Mr. Bullock to believe his license was still valid. But the suspension was not lifted until the end of May.

 

“Mr. McKenna would not comment on the later suspension of Mr. Bullock’s license that was in effect at the time of the crash.”  (The Capital, Annapolis, MD.  “Driver in crash gets community service for unrelated infraction.” 3-28-2008, 4.)

 

Aug 5, 2008 (WP): “Two Southern Maryland men who were charged last week with engaging in an illegal street race that killed eight people deceived investigators, and one suspect urged witnesses to “tell the same lie,” Prince George’s County prosecutors said yesterday.

 

“The allegations surfaced during bond hearings for Darren Jamar Bullock, 21, and Tavon J. Taylor, 18, both of Waldorf, who have spent several days in jail since the indictments against them were announced a week ago.

 

“They are accused of racing against each other about 3 a.m. Feb. 16 on Indian Head Highway and running into a crowd of people watching another illegal race on the dark rural road in Prince George’s. Each is charged with eight counts of vehicular manslaughter, as well as reckless driving and racing.  Another eight people were injured in the crash, prosecutors said.

 

“Authorities allege that Bullock was racing his 1999 Ford Crown Victoria against a Mercury Marquis driven by Taylor when Bullock plowed into a crowd on the highway. Authorities have declined to say whether they believe Taylor hit anybody with his vehicle.

 

“A surveillance camera at a nearby Beretta gun factory caught the two drivers speeding with their cars’ headlights off a quarter-mile from the crash site, according to a source close to the investigation. The cars were moving as fast as 110 mph, said the source, who spoke anonymously because the case is ongoing.  Investigators were able to calculate the speed of the cars by comparing their images to fixed objects, such as light poles.

 

“During Taylor’s bond hearing yesterday, Assistant State’s Attorney Michael D. Wallace said Taylor “repeatedly deceived” police investigators and organized witnesses to lie to the grand jury investigating the matter. Taylor’s attorney, J. Wyndal Gordon, said in court that police investigators “coerced” statements from his client, but he did not elaborate.  In an interview after the hearing, Gordon denied that Taylor lied to police or tried to organize witnesses to lie. “My client couldn’t organize anything,” Gordon said. “He’s 18 years old.”

 

“Asked whether the allegation that Taylor coached witnesses might lead to further charges, State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey said after the hearing, “We’re taking a look at that.” Ivey declined to discuss the matter further, saying court rules prohibit him from talking in detail about evidence.

 

“During Bullock’s bond hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Pearson said Bullock “deceived and misled” investigators.  Bullock’s defense attorney, John M. McKenna, did not respond to the allegation during the hearing. In an interview later, McKenna said, “Mr. Bullock continues to assert his innocence and has done nothing but cooperate with authorities to the best of his ability.” Bullock works at a restaurant, McKenna said.

 

“During the bond hearings, Gordon and McKenna argued that their clients had no intent to harm anyone and do not pose flight risks. Gordon said he has seen no evidence indicating Taylor hit any of the victims.  Circuit Judge William D. Missouri set bond at $200,000 for Bullock and $120,000 for Taylor.  Missouri ordered that Bullock abide by whatever restrictions are imposed by pretrial services officials and that his movements be monitored electronically, but set no restrictions on Taylor.

 

“Taylor’s attorney and relatives said the young man plans to enroll at Delaware State University this month.   Taylor’s mother is a D.C. corrections officer, and one of his aunts, Kimberly Taylor, is a veteran D.C. police sergeant. “He’s been taught to respect the law and uphold the law,” Kimberly Taylor said.

 

“Right after the crash, Bullock told family members he was driving the speed limit when he came upon the crowd standing in the middle of the road in Accokeek. But at last week’s news conference, Ivey said surveillance photos and witness accounts led police to conclude that Bullock was racing.  Bullock’s relatives declined to comment yesterday.”  (Castaneda, Ruben.  “Men Charged in Race Lied, Prosecutors Say.” Washington Post, 8-5-2008.)

 

Feb 19, 2010 (Garner): “The defense for a man on trial for vehicular manslaughter in the 2008 Accokeek street-racing crash that killed eight people pushed jurors Wednesday to disregard an incriminating statement the man gave to police, arguing the officer knew the man was high on marijuana at the time.  Defense attorney J. Wyndal Gordon unsuccessfully asked the Prince George’s County judge in April to throw out the statement defendant Tavon J. Taylor, 20, of Waldorf gave to police in July 2008.  The statement surrounded his alleged involvement in an illegal street race connected to the Feb. 16, 2008, crash along a stretch of Indian Head Highway/Route 210 in Accokeek.  Taylor, who pleaded not guilty, faces eight counts of vehicular manslaughter and a maximum of 80 years in prison if convicted in the trial, which began Feb. 1.

 

“In the statement to Prince George’s County Police Department Cpl. Christopher Hinkson, Taylor allegedly admitted to racing along Indian Head Highway the night of the crash. However, in the statement, Hinkson checked a box indicating Taylor was under the influence of a substance at the time, and Gordon said Taylor claims he told the officer he was high.  Taylor also claimed authorities promised him they would drop the charges if he made a statement.

 

“But in court Tuesday and Wednesday, Hinkson disputed the claims, testifying he did not know Taylor was high on marijuana, and Hinkson made a mistake in checking the waiver form.  He also told jurors he never promised Taylor anything if he made statements, and that Taylor was forthcoming in giving the statement.  “When I came into [the station, Taylor] stood up and apologized to me for lying,” Hinkson told jurors, referring to other statements Taylor gave to Hinkson, in which Taylor allegedly said he was not involved in the street race. “He said, ‘I had to tell the truth.'”

 

“Police said Taylor and Darren Bullock, 22, of Waldorf were racing on Indian Head Highway and were blinded by smoke from a previous street race when Bullock’s vehicle plowed into a crowd of about 200 people that had gathered to watch the previous race.

 

“Bullock pleaded guilty Jan. 29 to eight counts of vehicular manslaughter and is expected to be sentenced March 1 to up to 15 years in jail.

 

“The prosecution, led by Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey, has argued that although Taylor’s vehicle did not strike the victims, the alleged race between Taylor and Bullock makes them both responsible for the deaths.

 

“Gordon also suggested the officer falsified Taylor’s incriminating statements. Gordon called into question three interviews from February 2008 through that July in which, Gordon said, Hinkson failed to allow Taylor to review his statements and did not ask Taylor to sign his statements. Gordon also called into question Hinkson’s training on recognizing if someone is under the influence of controlled substances.  When Gordon asked Hinkson why he didn’t require Taylor to review or sign statements entered into a computer in March of 2008, Hinkson said he “didn’t think it was necessary.”  “I took steps to accurately take down statements,” he said.

 

“But when Gordon asked Hinkson if he had any proof the statements entered were accurate, Hinkson fired back, telling Gordon his question suggests Hinkson falsified the documents.  “That’s exactly what I am suggesting,” Gordon interjected.

 

“During court proceedings Tuesday, an expert witness from the state’s medical examiner’s office delivered graphic testimony to jurors of how the victims perished.  The testimony by Carol Allen, an assistant medical examiner whose office performed autopsy reports on the victims, also called into question whether all eight people died during the actual crash or whether some were instead killed by other vehicles leaving the scene in the ensuing pandemonium.

 

“In her testimony, Allen said it was likely some of the victims were struck and run over by more than one vehicle, which the defense argued could mean Bullock’s car might not have been responsible for all eight deaths.

 

“During cross-examination, Gordon led Allen to clarify there is no way of proving Bullock’s vehicle struck and killed all eight victims, and he maintained some victims could have been struck by vehicles fleeing the scene or vehicles already passing on the roadway.

 

“On Tuesday, Allen also presented at times discomfiting diagrams of how each victim died. She described skull fractures, severed limbs and disembowelments, telling the jury the carnage caused to the victims’ bodies could have only been more extreme if they were struck by trains.  “As prosecution has argued in court, the jury needs to be aware of the seriousness of these events,” said Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for Ivey.”  (Garner, Joshua. “Defense questions cops’ credibility in racing trial. Eight deaths were result of Accokeek street race.” SoMdNews.Com.  2-19-2010.)

 

March 10, 2010 (Garner): “Darren J. Bullock bowed his head and his family members wept after the Waldorf resident was sentenced last week to 15 years in prison for the deaths of eight people along a stretch of Accokeek highway in February 2008….

 

“Bullock entered a guilty plea in January to all eight counts, which reduced his sentence to 30 years with all but 15 suspended, and the prosecution agreed to drop the reckless driving and speed racing charges against him.

 

“Ervin Gardner, 39, of Oxon Hill; Daryl Wills, 38, of Clinton; Maycol Lopez, 20, of Gaithersburg; Otis Williams, 35, of Indian Head; Milton Pinkney, 41, of Aquasco; Blaine Briscoe, 49, of La Plata; William Gaines, 61, of Nanjemoy and Mark Courtney, 34, of Leonardtown were all killed in the crash….

 

“On March 1, at the conclusion of Taylor’s trial, which began Feb. 1, the jury was deadlocked on the manslaughter charges. A retrial is scheduled to begin Oct. 18.

 

“Inside the Prince George’s County courtroom March 2, Circuit Court Judge Michael P. Whalen said his sentencing of Bullock reflected testimony from family and victims of the accident during Taylor’s trial.  “Mr. Bullock, I know that you did not intend on what took place. I could not remove from my mind the description of witnesses [there that night],” he said. “No one who was there that morning will forget the carnage they saw.”

 

“In a written statement, Bullock told the judge, “I understand the great pain the accident has caused, and my heart goes out to the victims’ families.”….

 

“Michael Walls, who said he is a father figure to Bullock, told reporters gathered outside that although Bullock entered a guilty plea, he maintained he was not racing the morning of the accident….

 

“Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey, who is prosecuting both cases, told reporters that Bullock’s plea reflected that he was involved in a street race….”  (Garner, Joshua. “Waldorf man gets 15 years for role in street race deaths.” SoMdNews.Com 3-10-2010.)

 

July 2, 2010 (Garner): “Prince George’s County police said they ticketed and impounded vehicles from approximately 200 people who gathered Wednesday night along Route 210/Indian Head Highway for an organized illegal street race.  The race was broken up around 11:30 p.m. along the intersection of Livingston Road and Route 210 near the Route 223 exit and was less than a mile from where the deadly 2008 street-racing crash killed eight people and injured five others along the same highway.

 

“The county police department’s Traffic Enforcement Unit responded to calls from residents in the area who reported seeing 200 people gather along the highway. They were able to stop the race before it began.  “The traffic unit observed approximately 200 individuals getting ready for a speed contest,” said Col. Michael Blow, deputy chief of the department’s patrol bureau, during a press conference today at police headquarters in Palmer Park. “We’re not going to tolerate irresponsible driving.”  Blow said police issued 150 citations, 25 vehicle-repair orders and 100 verbal warnings for trespassing on the highway, which is state-owned, and impounded four vehicles.

 

“The Traffic Enforcement Unit was formed in late May to handle these types of incidents in the county, Blow said, adding the unit has been increasing patrols along the highway and continues to coordinate with Maryland State Police.  Blow said the people who organized the race are likely part of the same network of people who organized the deadly street race in the early hours of Feb. 16, 2008, when 200 people gathered along the highway.

 

“Like that race, at Wednesday’s race there was a large range of ages and people from as far away as Baltimore, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Northern Virginia and southern Maryland, Blow said.

 

“This fall, a retrial in Prince George’s County court is expected to begin for one of the men indicted in the 2008 crash — Tavon Taylor, 21, of Waldorf — after a mistrial in February. Darren Bullock, 23, of Waldorf pleaded guilty in March to eight counts of vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

 

“Blow said the street-racing network in southern Maryland has gone digital, posting race information on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.  “It’s a very elaborate network they have,” he said. “There are some individuals who sort of feel they’re immortal and that can’t happen to me,” he said, referring to drivers or spectators who are killed or injured during illegal street racing.”  (Garner, Joshua. “Police breakup Indian Head Highway street race in Accokeek. Crowd broken up Wednesday night near site of deadly 2008 crash.” Gazette.Net, 7-2-2010.)

 

Sep 19, 2011, WJLA: “A man facing vehicular manslaughter in the 2008 Accokeek street-racing tragedy had his second trial postponed.  Tavon Taylor, 21, of Waldorf, was allegedly involved in a street race Feb. 16, 2008, with Darren Bullock, 22, of Waldorf, on Rout 210/Indian Head Highway.

 

“According to police, Taylor and Bullock were blinded by smoke from a previous street race when Bullock’s vehicle–a white Crown Victoria–plowed into a crowd of about 200 people, killing eight.  The prosecution has argued that although Taylor’s vehicle, a green Grand Marquis, did not strike the victims, the alleged race between Taylor and Bullock makes them both responsible for the eight deaths.

 

“After two days of deliberation, the PG County jury found Taylor guilty of two traffic charges, speed racing and reckless driving, which carry a combined fine of $1,000.  They failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the manslaughter charges, with nine believing Taylor was guilty and three believing he was not, according to lead defense attorney J. Wyndal Gordon.  Gordon said he believes the state’s case against Taylor will become more difficult as time passes, with witnesses having a harder time recalling a morning that already is two years ago. Taylor faces a maximum of 80 years in prison if convicted.

 

“Bullock pleaded guilty January 29 and is expected to be sentenced Tuesday to up to 15 years in jail.  Witnesses who were at the street race when Bullock’s car hit the crowd, as well as an assistant medical examiner who helped perform autopsies on the victims, have given grisly accounts about the crash and gruesome fatal injuries.

 

“The lead collision analyst for the crash, Prince George’s County Police Department Cpl. Christopher Hinkson, testified Bullock’s vehicle was traveling between 75 and 102 miles per hour when it hit the crowd.”  (WJLA.com. “Tavon Taylor, street racer accused of killing 8, trial delayed.” 9-19-2011.)

 

June 4, 2015:  “Two young men, 20 and 18, facing north. Two straight lanes, clear and flat, inviting them into a very dark place….Let’s say Darren Bullock and Tavon Taylor race. Each will admit to it later; each will deny it later. But let’s say they start right here in the same spot, and let’s leave the video evidence and the eyewitness evidence and the skid marks and the cops and the state’s attorneys and the media attention out of it for a moment. Let’s just say they race because, quite simply, that’s what young men do here….

 

[Notes that no one in the first race, nor “any of the other drivers from the organized races. Nor…the people who gathered there and helped arrange it” get as much as a traffic ticket.]

 

“After 15 hours of deliberation, they return a verdict. Tavon is guilty of reckless driving and engaging in a speed contest, they say. But on the eight counts of manslaughter, one for each person who died that night, nine jurors favor conviction, three don’t. Mistrial.

 

“The state’s attorneys, Ivey and Adams, make big statements that afternoon, saying they’ll re-try the case vigorously again that fall, but they know that won’t happen. They can’t re-create a case like this. They can’t re-create tears from some witnesses or catching others in a lie. They can’t spend another month in court. They can’t put people through that. They know they’ll never get a full conviction.

 

“The jury’s message is this: Tavon was racing Darren that night, but he didn’t hit anybody and probably isn’t guilty of killing anyone. He won because he lost the race.

 

“On March 2, 2010, two years after he sat at the stoplight at the Burger King and gunned it, and one day after the driver of the other car was set free, Darren is sentenced to 15 years. His family and friends bawl outside the courthouse. Speaking into news cameras, they tell the families of the victims that they’re sorry for their loss, but now, they’ve lost, too….

 

“Three months after he’s sentenced, Darren sits down in his jail cell and pens a letter in neat handwriting to the judge. “I have enrolled in every self-help group that this institution has to offer,” he writes. “I would also like to better my future while I’m here by attending college courses and shop programs.” He asks for a modification to his sentence to help him meet the guidelines for attending the college program — among them, he needs to have less than seven years left on his sentence. His request is denied.

 

“Tavon, meanwhile, enrolls at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he majors in accounting. In the fall of 2010, Tavon’s retrial is pushed back. Nothing happens at all in 2011, except that people move on. Tavon becomes a sophomore in college. The attorneys work new cases. The witnesses try to forget what they saw.

 

“Finally, on Jan. 30, 2012, Tavon quietly makes a trip to the Prince George’s County Circuit Courthouse. The Warrior Lawyer[1] quietly makes the drive down from his office in Baltimore. Adams, the assistant state’s attorney, quietly makes his way to the courthouse, too. The same judge is also here. No news crews or reporters are alerted.

 

“With nobody watching, they reach an agreement. Nearly four years to the day after the accident, after dozens of false statements from witnesses and a month-long trial that covered Snowmageddon and ended in a deadlocked jury, Tavon enters an Alford plea of guilty to two counts of manslaughter, the same charge Darren faced, in the deaths of Ervin Lee Gardner and William Gaines. In an Alford plea, the defendant maintains his innocence but admits that the prosecution has enough evidence to find him guilty. Most of the time, defendants use an Alford guilty plea to avoid the harsher sentence that would come from going to trial and losing. Prosecutors generally accept the plea to avoid a trial and the possibility a defendant might be found not guilty and go unpunished.

 

“In exchange for this admission, Tavon gets five years probation, a $1,000 fine, and no jail time.

 

“This time, there is no press release.

 

“Two young men, older now. Two guilty pleas, slightly different, to the same crime.

 

“On May 10, 2014, one young man is in a prison in Hagerstown, Maryland; the other receives a degree in business administration in front of a crowd of more than 5,000 people at Shaw University’s graduation.

 

“In January 2015, one is in a prison in Hagerstown, Maryland; the other starts his first day at work as a loan verification analyst for a major bank in Raleigh, according to his LinkedIn page….

 

“The young man in the right lane in the Crown Victoria is in prison, and the young man in the left lane in the Grand Marquis is a college graduate who has a good job and a lot going on….

 

“What’s a mistake worth? It seems that depends. If you’re any of the boys who’ve raced on this highway over the last 50 years, it might’ve cost you a speeding ticket. If you’re one of the eight-second street racers from the night of the accident at Accokeek, there’s no penalty at all. If you’re one of the eight people swept away by a speeding car while watching an illegal race, it’s your life.

 

“When the cameras were on this case, the attorneys were brilliant and persuasive and battled like crazy. But two years after Darren was sentenced to 15 years, those same people worked out a deal to give Tavon probation and a fine for pleading guilty to the exact same charge.

 

“The attorneys’ careers certainly weren’t hurt by the accident. Adams says that “Accokeek,” as he refers to the case, was “a once-in-a-lifetime prosecution.” Then he thinks about it and says he’s had other good ones, too. “I’ve had a Forrest Gump career about catching good cases at good times,” he says, and Accokeek was a good case. This past fall, he was elected to be the state’s attorney of Anne Arundel County, one of the richest counties in one of the richest states in the country.

 

“Meanwhile, Ivey, the state’s attorney on the Accokeek case, is running for Congress this year in Maryland’s Fourth District. As of early April, the Democrat had raised twice as much as his closest competitor.

 

“Gordon continues to be seen in places where he can be seen by many. He talks for an hour about the case and, even now, never concedes that Tavon was racing. This spring, Gordon was on camera speaking at a protest in front of Baltimore City Hall after Freddie Gray’s death. His Twitter page includes a picture of him holding up his fists. He was one of the last people to talk to John Allen Muhammad, the D.C. sniper, before his execution in Virginia….” (Graff, Michael. “Two Lanes to Accokeek.” SBNation, 6-4-2015.)

 

Sources

 

Castaneda, Ruben. “Men Charged in Race Lied, Prosecutors Say.” Washington Post, 8-5-2008. At:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/04/AR2008080400963.html

 

Frederick News-Post, MD. “8 Killed When Drag Race Turns Deadly.” 2-17-2008, A8. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=149564544

 

Frederick News-Post, MD. “Celebrated in pop culture, street racing thrives.” 3-1-2008, p. Auto-4. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=131134617

 

Garner, Joshua. “Defense questions cops’ credibility in racing trial. Eight deaths were result of Accokeek street race.” SoMdNews.Com.  2-19-2010. Accessed 3-29-2012 at:  http://ww2.somdnews.com/stories/02192010/indytop173125_32229.shtml

 

Garner, Joshua. “Police breakup Indian Head Highway street race in Accokeek. Crowd broken up Wednesday night near site of deadly 2008 crash.” Gazette.Net, 7-2-2010. Accessed 3-20-2012 at: http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/07022010/prinnew155243_32574.php

 

Garner, Joshua. “Waldorf man gets 15 years for role in street race deaths.” SoMdNews.Com 3-10-2010. Accessed 3-20-2012 at: http://ww2.somdnews.com/stories/03102010/indytop175621_32250.shtml

 

Graff, Michael. “Two Lanes to Accokeek.” SBNation, 6-4-2015. Accessed 6-27-2015 at: http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2015/6/4/8694199/accokeek-street-racing-disaster

 

Manning, Stephen (AP). “8 die in Maryland as car slams into crowd watching drag race.” Winchester Star, VA, 2-18-2008, 3. http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=150214378

 

Spak, Kevin. “8 Killed in Street Race Crash.” Newser, 2-16-2008. Accessed 3-19-2012 at: http://www.newser.com/story/19230/8-killed-in-street-race-crash.html

 

The Capital, Annapolis, MD. “Driver in crash gets community service for unrelated infraction.” 3-28-2008, 4. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=131133821

 

WJLA, ABC7, Washington, DC. “Tavon Taylor, street racer accused of killing 8, trial delayed.” 9-19-2011. At: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2011/09/tavon-taylor-street-racer-accused-of-killing-8-back-in-court-for-re-trial-66718.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Earlier in the article, noting that “Where there’s a high-profile crème, there’s opportunity” Graff provides the name of the lawyer — J. Wyndal Gordon “whose self-given nickname is The Warrior Lawyer, a savvy, fast-talking, camera-loving defense attorney who has devoted his life to raising a reasonable doubt. One of his previous clients was John Allen Muhammad, the man convicted of being the sniper who terrorized the Washington area in 2002.”

—  7  Saulny and Davey, “Gunman Slays 6 at N. Illinois University,” NYT, 2-15-2008.

—  6  CNN. “6 shot dead, including gunman, at Northern Illinois University.” 2-14-2008.

—  6  Daily Chronicle, Dekalb, IL. “3 p.m. update: Gunman identified in NIU…” 2-15-2008.

—  6  WREX 13, Rockford, IL. “Events Sunday to honor second anniversary…” 2-21-2010.

 

Feb 14, CNN:  “Dekalb, Illinois (CNN) — A gunman dressed in black stepped from behind a curtain at the front of a large lecture hall at Northern Illinois University on Thursday and shot 21 people, five of them fatally, then shot and killed himself, said university president John Peters. Four died at the scene, including the shooter, and two later died at the hospital, he said.

 

“At least 22 people, including a graduate student who was teaching an ocean sciences class, were shot, Peters said.

 

“Seventeen victims were taken to Kishwaukee Community Hospital, its Web site said.  Of those, six were in critical condition and were flown to other hospitals. One fatality, a male, was confirmed — but was not the gunman, the hospital said. Two were admitted, and three others were discharged. The other five were not addressed on the Web site.  Four of the fatalities were female, said Peters.  Most of the injuries are head and chest gunshot wounds, a hospital spokeswoman told CNN.

 

“The gunman started shooting from a stage in the room shortly after 3 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) in Cole Hall, officials said.

 

“Police Chief Donald Grady said authorities do not yet know of a motive.  They know the identity of the gunman but have not released his name, Grady added.  The shooter was a graduate student at NIU in the spring of 2007. Currently he was not enrolled there but, Grady said, “He may have been a student elsewhere.”

 

“Kevin McEnery said he was in the classroom when the gunman, dressed in a black shirt, dark pants and black hat, burst in carrying a shotgun. “He just kicked the door open, just started shooting,” said McEnery, who was in the class at the time. “All I really heard was just people screaming, yelling ‘get out.’ … Close to 30 shots were fired.”

 

“There are about 162 registered students in the class that met in the large lecture hall.  A student described the classroom as having four exits – two at the front and two at the rear. “Witnesses say someone dressed in black came out from behind a screen in the front of the classroom and opened fire with a shotgun,” Peters said.

 

“At 3:03 p.m., NIU police responded, and four minutes later, the campus was ordered into “a lockdown situation,” Grady said.  At 3:20, an all-campus alert went out via the campus Web site, e-mail, voice mail, the campus crisis hotline, the news media and various alarm systems, he said….

 

“Grady said the man used three guns: a shotgun, a Glock handgun and a small-caliber handgun, and was still on the stage when he turned one of the guns on himself. The small-caliber handgun has not been recovered, he said.

 

“Grady said it was unlikely authorities could have prevented Thursday’s tragedy. “As much as we do, it’s unlikely that anyone would ever have the ability to stop an incident like this from beginning,” he said….

 

“The 113-year-old school is 65 miles west of downtown Chicago and has an enrollment of more than 25,000. The campus covers 755 acres.” (CNN. “6 shot dead, including gunman, at Northern Illinois University.” 2-14-2008.)

 

Feb 15, NYT (Saulny and Davey): “DeKalb, Ill. — With minutes left in a class in ocean sciences at Northern Illinois University on Thursday afternoon, a tall skinny man dressed all in black stepped out from behind a curtain on the stage of the lecture hall, said nothing, and opened fire with a shotgun, the authorities and witnesses said. The man shot again and again, witnesses said, perhaps 20 times or more. Students in the large lecture hall, stunned and screaming, dropped to the floor. They crouched behind anything they could find, even an overhead projector. They scattered, the blood of victims spattering, some said, on those who escaped injury.

 

“Five people, all of them students, were killed, John G. Peters, the president of Northern Illinois University, said at a news conference late Thursday evening. Sixteen others were wounded, two of them critically, Mr. Peters said. Hospital officials said several of the students had been shot in the head. One of the injured has since been reported to have died.

 

“The gunman, whom the authorities did not identify, also died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Mr. Peters said. The gunman, he said, had been a graduate student in sociology at the university in 2007, but was no longer enrolled here. Records suggested that the man, who had more recently attended a different state school, had no previous police contact, the authorities said.

 

“Police officers from the campus, which sits in a snow-covered community 65 miles due west of Chicago, said three weapons had been found with the man’s body: two handguns, including a Glock, and the shotgun. The man’s body was found on the lecture hall stage, the police said. He had ammunition left over….

 

“Northern Illinois University, chartered in 1895, draws 91 percent of its students from inside the state of Illinois.” (Saulny, Susan, and Monica Davey. “Gunman Slays 6 at N. Illinois University,” New York Times, 2-15-2008.)

 

Feb 15, Dekalb Daily Chronicle: “Dekalb — The gunmen in the nation’s fourth-deadliest college campus shooting had a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card, which is required for all Illinois residents who buy or possess firearms, official said Friday. Stephen Kazmierczak, 27, purchased the four guns legally from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Champaign, said Thomas Ahern, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Two of the weapons, a Remington model 870 shotgun and a Glock 9 millimeter pistol, had been picked up by Kazmierczak on Feb. 9 after both the criminal background check and waiting period required by state law. The background check is performed by state police. Ahern said that the database that ATF maintains in Washington showed that Kazmierczak bought the two other guns — Sig Sauer and High Point pistols — from the same shop. Investigators were still determining exactly when that sale took place, Ahern said. Authorities said their investigation revealed Kazmierczak has been acting erratic in recent weeks and had stopped taking medication. In Florida, Polk County sheriff’s officials said they were asked to notify the suspect’s father — Robert Kazmierczak of Lakeland, Fla. — of his son’s death. The elder Kazmierczak briefly came out of his house Friday morning to talk to reporters. “Please leave me alone. … This is a very hard time for me,” he said as he threw his arms up and wept. He declined further comment about his son and then went back inside his house, saying he was diabetic. The motive of the killer, who graduated from NIU in 2006 but was a student there as recently as last year, was still not known.

 

“10:45 a.m. update: Gunman identified in NIU shooting; 6 dead By Shaw Newspapers DeKALB — NIU University Police Chief Donald Grady said the shooter, Steven Kazmierczak, was an outstanding and award-winning student at NIU. “We had no indications at all that this would be the kind of person who would engage in this kind of activity,” Grady said. Police do not know how long Kazmierczak was on campus prior to the shooting but said they found his car parked close to Cole Hall and said they believe the shooter entered from an outside door that led to the lecture hall stage. Grady said the vehicle was still being examined and said he would not discuss what had been found in the car. Grady said investigators have not found a note written by Kazmierczak and do not believe he spoke or shouted any statements as he fired into the crowd of students. Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said there appears to have been no legal reason to prevent Kazmierczak from obtaining firearms. “The shooter was not prohibited from purchasing firearms, and as far as we know, it was a lawful purchase,” said Special Agent Kevin Cronin of the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Grady praised the cooperation of law enforcement officials and rescue workers for their response. He said the shooting took place at 3:06 p.m. and said two officers were on the scene within 30 seconds. “It’s an unfortunate set of circumstances that no one could have predicted, and nothing could have been done to stop it,” Grady said. University officials said a candlelight vigil has been planned for 9 p.m. Friday on the NIU campus and said they are working on several ways for students and the school community to express their grief and sympathy. President John Peters said he has been strengthened by the resolve of parents who are dealing with the tragedy and said grief counselors from many universities are on hand to work with students. “I’m focused on the NIU family … our parents and our students to begin the healing process from this tragic instance,” Peters said. “We will get though this together as a community, I am sure.” Peters said NIU and the campus police department had a solid response plan in place for such a tragedy, but he and Grady both stressed that they do not believe the tragedy could have been prevented. “We were dealing with a disturbed individual who intended harm on this campus,” Peters said. “We did everything we could to ensure safety.”

 

“0:15 a.m. update: NIU University Police Chief Donald Grady said police still have no motive for the tragedy and said they have no knowledge of any personal relationship between Kazmierczak and anyone in the class. Investigators have learned that Kazmierczak purchased two of his four weapons — a 12-gauge Remington shotgun and a 9mm Glock handgun — on Feb. 9 in the Champaign-Urbana area near where he was a student . Grady said Kazmierczak has been taking medication, although he declined to say whether Kazmierczak was being treated for mental illness. “Apparently, he had been taking medication,” Grady said. “He had stopped and had become somewhat erratic in the past few weeks.” Investigators still don’t know how many rounds were fired but Grady said they have also recovered 48 shell casings and 6 shotgun shells. He said Kazmierczak did reload his shotgun. The other weapons were SIG Sauer 9 mm handgun, High-Point CF-380 pistol. There were six fatalities, including the gunman, not seven as reported earlier Friday. The victim who was transported to a DuPage County hospital did not die, officials said. Two other victims remained hospitalized at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, said Sharon Emanuelson, a hospital spokeswoman. One of the victims, a male, was listed in good condition and the other victim, a woman, was listed in fair condition early Friday, Emanuelson said. Their names have not been released.” (Daily Chronicle, Dekalb, IL. “3 p.m. update: Gunman identified in NIU shootings; 6 dead.” 2-15-2008.)

 

Feb 21, 2010, WREX: “Dekalb (WREX)….On February 14, 2008 former student Steve Kazmierczak entered a Cole Hall auditorium and fatally shot five students in a geology class before turning the gun on himself.  Catalina Garcia, Daniel Parmenter, Gayle Dubowski, Julianna Gehant and Ryanne Mace were all killed. A sculpture honoring those students was unveiled earlier this year at Cole Hall.” (WREX 13, Rockford, IL. “Events Sunday to honor second anniversary of NIU campus shooting.” 2-21-2010.)

 

Sources

 

CNN. “6 shot dead, including gunman, at Northern Illinois University.” 2-14-2008. Accessed 1-15-2013: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/14/university.shooting/index.html

 

Daily Chronicle, Dekalb, IL. “3 p.m. update: Gunman identified in NIU shootings; 6 dead.” 2-15-2008. Accessed 1-15-2013: http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2008/02/15/news/latest_news/news01.txt

 

Saulny, Susan, and Monica Davey. “Gunman Slays 6 at N. Illinois University, New York Times, 2-15-2008. Accessed at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/us/15shoot.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

 

WREX 13, Rockford, IL. “Events Sunday to honor second anniversary of NIU campus shooting.” 2-21-2010. Accessed 1-15-2013: http://www.wrex.com/category/133168/aboutus

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Five student victims and the gunman suicide.

–14  NYT, Shaila Dewan. “Report Cites Lack of Precautions in 2008 Sugar Plant Fire.” 9-24-2009.

–14  U.S. Chemical Safety Board, Investigation Information Page, Imperial Sugar Company…

–14  U.S. CSB. Investigation Report. Sugar Dust Explosion and Fire. Sep 2009, cover page.

 

Narrative Information

 

U.S. CSB: “On February 7, 2008, a huge explosion and fire occurred at the Imperial Sugar refinery northwest of Savannah, Georgia, causing 14 deaths and injuring 38 others, including 14 with serious and life-threatening burns. The explosion was fueled by massive accumulations of combustible sugar dust throughout the packaging building.”  (CSB, Investigation Information Page, Imperial Sugar Company Explosion and Fire, Port Wentworth, GA, February 7, 2008)

 

“On February 7, 2008, a catastrophic dust explosion destroyed the massive packaging plant at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, fatally burning 14 workers and injuring 38 others.  In Senate testimony in July 2008, Chairman Bresland noted that the Imperial explosion and other major dust explosions would likely have been prevented if the companies had followed existing National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommendations for controlling dust hazards.  Those measures – including appropriate equipment and building design, worker training, and rigorous dust-cleaning programs – should form the basis of a new regulatory standard for industrial workplaces, Mr. Bresland said.”  (U.S. CSB Press Release, 2-4-2009)

 

U.S. CSB Chairman Bresland: “….I have visited the Imperial Sugar refinery and witnessed first-hand the devastation there. The destruction was the most severe of any chemical accident I have seen in my six years with the CSB….Madam Chairman, this accident was preventable. [p1]

 

“Combustible dust is an insidious workplace hazard when it accumulates on surfaces, especially elevated surfaces. A wide range of common combustible materials can explode in finely powdered form, including wood, coal, four, sugar, metals, plastics, and many chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

 

“At Imperial Sugar a catastrophic explosion resulted from massive accumulations of combustible sugar dust on surfaces throughout the packaging plant….Let me summarize a few key points.

 

“The photographs on the easel were taken in September and October 2006 at different locations inside the sugar packaging building at Imperial’s Savannah refinery. They confirm the existence of substantial dust accumulations on various ducts, motors, switch boxes and processing equipment. These accumulations — ranging in depth from an inch or two up to several feet — far exceed the NFPA-recommended[1] limit of 1/32 of an inch. Witnesses told the CSB that large accumulations of dust were present until the day of the explosion. [pp. 2-3]

 

“According to an employee, near the powder mills, sugar accumulated on the floor to a ‘mid-leg’ height. We were told that airborne sugar in this room made it difficult for workers to see each other. We obtained documents indicating that certain parts of Imperial’s milling process were releasing tens of thousands of pounds of sugar per month into the work area.

 

“Based on our evidence, Imperial did not have a written dust control program or a program for using safe dust removal methods. And the company lacked a formal training program to educate its workers about combustible dust hazards. [p. 4]

 

“Madam Chairman, I believe these findings are further evidence of the need for a comprehensive regulatory standard for dust. Since the CSB was established in 1998, three of the four deadliest accidents we have investigated ere determined to be combustible dust explosions.

 

“In November 2006, the CSB completed a thorough study on combustible dust. The Board called for:

A comprehensive OSHA regulatory standard to prevent dust explosions in general industry. [p. 5]

 

Improved training of OSHA inspectors to recognize dust hazards, and

 

Improvements to Material Safety Data Sheets to better communicate dust hazards to workers.

 

“The CSB based its recommendations, in part, on the success of OSHA’s 1987 grain dust standard, which has cut deaths and injuries from grain dust explosions and fires by 60%. This standard requires worker training, rigorous housekeeping, and limits grain dust accumulations to 1/8 of an inch.

 

“The NFPA has produced highly respected consensus standards about how best to prevent and mitigate combustible dust explosions…. [p. 6] However, without a comprehensive OSHA standard for combustible dust, it is difficult for businesses to know which specific NFPA provisions or other requirements they may be subject to….” [p. 7] (Bresland. “Oral Testimony of…Chairman…[CSB]…Senate Subcommittee on…Workplace Safety, July 29, 2008.”)

 

Newspaper

 

Sep 24, NYT: “Atlanta — A huge fire last year at a sugar refinery near Savannah, Ga., that killed 14 workers and injured 36 more was “entirely preventable,” a federal official said Thursday as the results of an investigation into the fire’s causes were released. The owner of the plant, the Imperial Sugar Company, and the plant’s managers knew for decades about the hazards of sugar dust but failed to take the necessary precautions, according to the report, issued by the Chemical Safety Board, which investigates industrial chemical accidents.

 

“The report blamed inadequate equipment design, poor maintenance and ineffective house-keeping for the explosion and fire in February 2008, and said that Imperial Sugar and the sugar industry as a whole were aware of the dangers of dust explosions at least as early as 1925.

 

“In a written statement, John C. Sheptor, the president and chief executive of Imperial Sugar, said the company had “collaborated” with the safety board on the report and was “working diligently” to put in place the report’s safety recommendations.

 

“The report also cited internal memorandums at the plant, in Port Wentworth, Ga., dating from 1967, before it was owned by Imperial Sugar, showing that managers were concerned about the possibility that accumulations of sugar dust could ignite a chain of explosions that would destroy “large sections of the plant.”

 

“The initial explosion most likely occurred inside a sugar conveyor situated beneath two silos, the report said. The conveyor had recently been enclosed, creating “a confined, unventilated space where sugar dust could accumulate to an explosive concentration,” the safety board said. That explosion quickly spread, igniting sugar dust and spilled sugar in adjacent areas. Imperial Sugar had not conducted evacuation drills and the explosion and fires disabled most emergency lighting, trapping workers in a dark maze of corridors, the report said.

 

“The Chemical Safety Board does not issue citations or levy fines, but in July 2008, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration  found violations at the Port Wentworth plant and at an Imperial Sugar plant in Gramercy, La., where an inspection five weeks after the Georgia fire found sugar dust four feet thick in some areas. The agency proposed fines of $8.7 million, the third-largest in the agency’s history. Imperial Sugar is contesting the fine….” (NYT, Shaila Dewan. “Report Cites Lack of Precautions in 2008 Sugar Plant Fire.” 9-24-2009.)

 

Sources

 

Bresland, John S. “Oral Testimony of John S. Bresland, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Chemical Safety Board, Before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, July 29, 2008.” Washington, DC U.S. Congress, 7-29-2008.

 

New York Times (Shaila Dewan.) “Report Cites Lack of Precautions in 2008 Sugar Plant Fire.” 9-24-2009. Accessed 6-26-2015 at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/us/25sugar.html?_r=1&

 

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Investigation Information Page, Imperial Sugar Company Explosion and Fire, Port Wentworth, GA, February 7, 2008. Wash., DC: CSB.   http://www.chemsafety.gov/index.cfm?folder=current_investigations&page=info&INV_ID=80

 

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Investigation Report. Sugar Dust Explosion and Fire (14 Killed, 36 Injured). Washington, DC: US CSB, Report No. 2008-05-I-GA, Sep 2009. Accessed 6-26-2015 at: http://www.csb.gov/assets/1/19/imperial_sugar_report_final_updated.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] National Fire Protection Association.

–62-63  Blanchard tally based on State and locality breakouts below.[1]

—     59  NCDC/NESDIS/NOAA/DOC. Storm Events Data Base.

—     59  USA Today. “Tennessee, A Year Later, Still Feels Tornado’s Wrath,” Feb 5, 2009.

—     58  Grazulis. Tornado Project Online. Recent Tornadoes. “US Killer Tornadoes of 2008.”

—     57  Lyons. “Tornadoes May Break Record For Year.” Palm Beach Daily News, 1 Nov 2008.

—     57  NWS. Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of Feb 5-6, 2008. P. iv.

—     57  Reuters, “Tornado Toll Rises to 57, February 8, 2008.

—     57  SPC. “Fatal Tornadoes/County-Fatalities, State Fatalities and EF-Scale for Feb 5-6-2008.[2]

—     57  Wikipedia.  “2008 Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak.”

—     55  CNN.  “Severe Weather, Tornadoes Kill Dozens Across South, February 6, 2008.

—     28  Storm Prediction Center, NWS, NOOA.  SPC Storm Reports for 02/05/08

 

Alabama:       (    5)

— 5  NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details, EF4 Tornado, KY, Feb 5-6, 2008.

— 5  NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment. Super Tuesday… 2009, D-1.

— 5  USA Today, Feb 5, 2009.

–1  Jackson County, Pisgah community. Female, 60, frame home.[3]

–4  Lawrence County. NWS. Appendix D. Service Assessment. Super Tuesday… D1.

–1 Aldridge Grove community. Male, 40, in mobile home.

–1 Aldridge Grove community. Female, 49, in mobile home.

–1 Aldridge Grove community. Male, 19, in mobile home.

–1 Fairfield community. Female, 86, in a mobile home.

 

Arkansas:       (  14)

— 14  National Weather Service WFO, Little Rock, AR. “Severe Weather on February 5, 2008.”

— 14  USA Today, Feb 5, 2009.

— 13  Lyons.  “Tornadoes May Break Record For Year.” Palm Beach Daily News, 1 Nov 2008.

— 14  NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment. Super Tuesday… 2009, D-1.

–1  Baxter County, Gassville. Female, 77, mobile home park.

–1  Conway County, Hattieville, near Cleveland. Male, 84, mobile home park.

–1         “           “              “          near Cleveland, Female, 68, mobile home park.

–1  Izard County, Rose Trail area mobile home. Male, 51.

–1  Izard County, Zion, mobile home. Male, 32.

–5  Pope Co. NWS. “Appendix D.” Service Assessment. Super Tuesday… 2009, D-1.[4]

–1  Atkins, Lucky Landing. Female, 78, thrown from mobile home.

–3  Atkins. Family, frame home; female, 43; female, 11; male, 40.

–1  Atkins, Happy Bend com.. Male, 56, seeking shelter in shipping container.

–1  Stone Co., Mountain-view. House just east of Hwy 5/14 intersection. Female, 50.[5]

–3  Van Buren County. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, Ark., Feb 5, 2008.[6]

–1  Clinton vicinity. Female, 81, in a house.

–1  Clinton, boat factory office room near exterior wall. Male, 29.

–1  Clinton, Shirley vicinity, mobile home. Female, 37.

 

Kentucky:      (     7)

— 7  Lyons.  “Tornadoes May Break Record For Year.” Palm Beach Daily News, 1 Nov 2008.

— 7  NCDC. Event Record Details, Tornadoes, KY, Feb 5-6, 2008.

— 7  USA Today, Feb 5, 2009.

— 7  NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment. Super Tuesday… 2009, D-2:

—    3  KY  Muhlenberg Co. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, KY, 2-5-2008.

–1  Greenville. Male, 69, mobile home.

–1  Greenville. Female, 62, mobile home.

–1  Greenville. Female, 40, mobile home.

—    4  KY  Allen County. NCDC. Event Record Details, Tornado, KY, 6 Feb 2008,

–1  Holland area. Male, 2, mobile home.

–1  Holland area. Female, 53, mobile home.

–1  Holland area. Male, 50, mobile home.

–1  Holland area. Male, 53, mobile home.

 

Tennessee:      (36-37)

–36-37  State. Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.[7]

—     33  NCDC. Storm Event Database. Event Details. Tennessee. Tornadoes. 2-5-2008.

—     33  USA Today, Feb 5, 2009.

—     32  Lyons,  “Tornadoes May Break Record For Year.” Palm Beach Daily News, 11-1-2008.

—     31  NWS. Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of Feb 5-6, 2008. D 2-3.

—  1  Fayette County, Yum Yum Road. Tornado, male, 70, pickup truck in shed.[8]

—  3  Hardin County, Cerro Gordo, near Savannah.

–1  Male, 55, mobile home.

–1  Male, 74, mobile home.

–1  Male, 75, mobile home.

–18  Macon County Times, TN. “Remembering those we’ve lost.” 2-2-2012, 9A.[9]

–18  Macon County Times. “Six years later.” 2-5-2014. “as a direct result of the storm.”[10]

–18  Macon County, Lafayette. Lafayette, Tennessee. “Tornado: February 5, 2008.”

— Carol Irene Boyd, 42; from Feb 5, 2008 tornado injuries.[11]

— Mark Aaron Brown, Jr., 19.[12]

— Javier Bueno Castillo (or Javier Castillo Bueno), 35.

— William Clark, 74.

— Johnny Doolin, 59.

— Dixie Marie Ellis, 79.

— Stanley Eugene Francis, 54.

— William “Tom” Manier, 90.

— Pablo Osorio.

— Cortney Lynn Payne, 4.

— Rex Douglas Payne, 49.

— Joan Rodriquez, 57.

— Jimmy Carter Shaw, 54.

— Michael L. Welch, 51.

— Hannah Welch, 11.

— Julie Welch, 45.

— Jessie Welch.

— Randy Wilkerson, 48.

–14  Macon County. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, TN, 2-5-2008.[13]

–13  Macon Co. NWS. Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak… D3.[14]

–1  Lafayette. Male, 70, mobile home.

–1  Lafayette, female, 42, mobile home.

–1  Lafayette, female 4, mobile home interior closet seeking shelter.

–1  Lafayette, female, 79, mobile home.

–1  Lafayette, male, 35, mobile home.

–1  Lafayette, male, 54, frame home.

–1  Lafayette, male, 59, mobile home on cinder block structure.

–1  Lafayette, male, 23, frame home.

–1  Lafayette, male, 49, mobile home, interior closet seeking shelter.

–1  Lafayette, male, 54, frame home.

–1  Lafayette, male, 90, frame home.

–1  Location in county not noted. Male, 19, frame home interior closet.

–1  Location in county not noted. Female, 58; type of structure noted unknown.

—  2  Madison County. NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment.[15]

–1  Huntersville Community. Female, 84, frame home, in interior closet.

–1  Huntersville Community. Male, 75, frame home.

—  3  Shelby County. NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment .[16]

–1  Memphis. Male, 38, warehouse break-room on lowest level.

–1  Memphis. Male, 23, warehouse break-room on lowest level.

–1  Memphis. Female, 60, warehouse break-room on lowest level.

—  8  Sumner County. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, TN, 5 Feb 2008.

—  7  Sumner County. NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment… D4.

–1  Castalian Springs. Male, 33, frame home.

–1  Castalian Springs. Female, 23, frame home, interior bathroom.

–1  Castalian Springs. Male 26, mobile home.

–1  Castalian Springs. Female, 72, mobile home.

–1  Castalian Springs. Female, 52, mobile home.

–1  Castalian Springs. Male, 57, mobile home.

–1  Castalian Springs. Male, 49, mobile home.

—  2  Trousdale County. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, TN, 5 Feb 2008.

–1  Hartsville. Female, 84, mobile home.[17]

–1  Hartsville. Male, 86, mobile home.[18]

 

General

 

Lyons: “The event began on Super Tuesday, while 24 U.S. states were holding primary elections and caucuses to select the presidential candidates for the upcoming presidential election. Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee were among the affected regions in which primaries were being held. Some voting locations were forced to close early due to the approaching severe weather.   Eighty-seven tornadoes occurred over the course of the outbreak. The storm system produced several destructive tornadoes in heavily populated areas, most notably in the Memphis metropolitan area, in Jackson, Tennessee, and the northeastern end of the Nashville metropolitan area.

 

“One of the deadliest tornadoes was in Arkansas. The twister ripped through seven counties tracking an estimated 122 miles through the center of the state. The tornado claimed 12 lives and injured 140 people….Fifty-seven people would be killed by the tornadoes, making the Super Tuesday outbreak the deadliest in more than 20 years….

 

“The outbreak is the deadliest of the modern NEXRAD doppler radar era (fully implemented in 1997.) As well as the largest single outbreak since the May 31, 1985 outbreak, which killed 76 across Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well claiming 12 victims in Ontario, Canada.. It was also the deadliest outbreak in both Tennessee and Kentucky since the 1974 Super Outbreak. The weather system which produced the tornadoes also caused significant Straight-line wind damage, hail as large as softballs – 4.5 inches (11 cm) in diameter – major flooding, significant freezing rain, and heavy snow across many areas of eastern North America.

 

“There were 32 deaths in TN, 13 in Ark., 7 in KY and 5 in AL.

 

“A Federal Disaster Declaration was made for impacted counties on February 7.”  (Lyons, Nov 1, 2008.)

 

NWS Service Assessment: “During a 12-hour period in the evening and early morning of February 5-6, 2008, 87 tornadoes occurred in nine states with 57 fatalities in four states. This is the second largest February tornado outbreak since 1950 (beginning year of official tornado database) in terms of fatalities and the largest since May 31, 1985. Fatalities occurred in Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. There were five violent Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale 4 tornadoes reported; two each in Tennessee and Alabama, and one in Arkansas. The EF4 tornado in Arkansas had a remarkable 122-mile continuous damage path; this was the longest path length of a tornado in the state since at least 1950. A deadly EF3 tornado that touched down northeast of Nashville, Tennessee, carved a 51- mile path of destruction claiming 22 lives. This was the deadliest tornado in the United States since a tornado in Evansville, Indiana, November 2005 killed 25 people.” (National Weather Service. Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of February 5-6, 2008. NWS, NOAA, March 2009, p. iv.)

 

Tornado Project: “As many as 50 tornadoes struck this day, and at least 11 separate killer tornadoes caused 58 deaths in 4 states. Tennessee was the hardest hit with 32 deaths; 13 died in Arkansas, 7 in Kentucky, and 6 in Alabama. Three fork lift operators were killed as a tornado cut a swath through warehouses, factories, 120 homes and a mall in southeast Memphis. Two died in Madison County homes. The tornado then destroyed 17 buildings on the Union University campus, injuring more than 50 students, many of them trapped in dormitories. The deadliest tornado hit Sumner and Macon counties in Tennessee, killing 23 people. Three died in Hardin County, and one died in Fayette County.

”Six people were killed in Alabama. A home was leveled in Lawrence County, killing a couple and their teenage son. In Jackson County, one woman was killed as her home in Pisgah was destroyed. Seven died in Kentucky. Four deaths were in Allen County. The storm may have been in the same family as the deadly Tennessee tornado. In Muhlenberg County, a couple and their daughter were killed in a mobile home. There were thirteen deaths in six different Arkansas counties. A couple and their 11-year-old daughter died in Pope County. Other fatalities were in Conway, Izard, Baxter, Stone and Van Buren Counties.” (Tornado Project. “US Killer Tornadoes of 2008.”)

 

NCDC:  Alabama, Jackson County Tornado:

 

“Representatives from the National Weather Service and the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency conducted a storm survey of damage that occurred in Jackson County, Alabama early in the morning of February 6, 2008. The damage was determined to originate from a strong tornado, which at its peak had winds of at least 180 MPH, giving it a rating of EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The most significant damage occurred at the corner of County Road 60 and 177, between the Rosalie and Pisgah communities in eastern Jackson County. This is also approximately the location where one fatality occurred. Trees along the tornado path were snapped and in some cases shredded, several houses were swept from their foundations, and a large section of a chicken house collapsed. Several large hay bales (weighing 2,500 pounds) were blown apart or tossed around.”  (NCDC, Tornado, Alabama, 6 Feb 2008, Jackson County.)

 

Alabama, Lawrence County Tornado:

 

“Representatives from the National Weather Service and the Lawrence County Emergency Management Agency conducted a storm survey of damage that occurred in Lawrence County, Alabama early in the morning of February 6, 2008. The damage was determined to originate from a strong tornado, which at its peak had winds of approximately 170 MPH, giving it a rating of EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Based on reports and an aerial survey conducted by the Lawrence County EMA, the tornado is believed to have originally touched down near the Pinhook community in south-central Lawrence County (just north of the Bankhead National Forest) around 3:02 AM CST. The tornado remained on the ground for approximately 16.7 miles; the first 14 miles of the track occurred in Lawrence County, tracking through the Aldridge Grove, Fairfield, Five Points, Midway, and Caddo communities. The tornado exited Lawrence County about 3 miles south southeast of Caddo around 3:20 AM CST. The most significant damage occurred in two main areas. The first occurred just south of the Pinhook community, near the intersection of County Road 92 and 188. The second occurred north of Aldridge Grove near the intersection of County Road 94 and 183, where three fatalities occurred. Numerous homes received significant structural damage, including a 2300 square foot/2-story brick house that was nearly leveled off its foundation. Large trees, with diameters up to 4 feet, were completely snapped, with many uprooted. Fence posts embedded in concrete were ripped out of the ground and vaulted 50 to 100 feet in several different directions. A truck was thrown over a distance of more than 100 yards into an open field.  The WFO Huntsville County Warning Area experienced the worst tornado outbreak in 19 years on February 6, 2008. While the number of observed tornadoes was low (4), the area experienced two EF-4 tornadoes, the first time the area has witnessed more than one devastating tornado on the same day since 1974. This event was part of a large tornado outbreak which spanned both February 5th (Super Tuesday) and 6th (Wednesday). A series of tornadic supercell thunderstorms swept across the Mid-South and Southeast states ahead of a potent cold front.”  (NCDC, Tornado, Alabama, Lawrence County.)

 

Arkansas, Baxter County Tornado:

 

“The tornado moved from Marion County, north-northeast of Rea Valley, into Baxter County, just east-southeast of Cotter. A survey by the Red Cross indicated 21 houses were destroyed, 23 suffered major damage, 35 had minor damage, and 147 others were affected. In addition, 9 mobile homes were destroyed, 12 suffered major damage, 10 had minor damage, and 10 others were affected. One fatality occurred in a mobile home park. Most of the residential structures were in the area around Gassville. A number of businesses in Gassville, along U.S. Highway 62/412, were damaged. Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. The tornado dissipated before reaching Mountain Home.”  (NCDC, Arkansas, Baxter County.)

 

Arkansas, Conway County Tornado:

 

“The tornado moved out of Pope County, northeast of Atkins, into Conway County, west of Hattieville. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 56 residences (both houses and mobile homes) suffered damage. Altogether, 32 residences were destroyed, 6 had major damage, and 18 had minor damage….approximately 80,000 chickens were killed. Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. An elderly couple was killed about 3.2 miles south-southwest of Cleveland when their mobile home was destroyed. The tornado then moved into Van Buren County, south-southeast of Beverage Town.”  (NCDC, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Conway County.)

 

Arkansas, Izard County Tornado:

 

“The tornado moved out of Stone County, northeast of Mountain View, into Izard County, just northwest of Guion. A survey by the Federal Emergency Management Agency indicated 106 residential structures (houses and mobile homes) suffered damage. This included 43 residences destroyed, 14 with major damage, 36 with minor damage, and 13 others affected. A cattle farmer lost hundreds of cattle to the tornado. Two fatalities occurred: One in a mobile home in the Rose Trail area, and the other in a mobile home at Zion. The tornado continued into Sharp County, in the area northwest of Evening Shade.”  (NCDC, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Izard County.)

 

Arkansas, Pope County, Tornado:

 

“The tornado moved out of the Carden Bottoms area of Yell County, crossing the Arkansas River, and re-entering Pope County southwest of Atkins. The intensity and width of the tornado increased quickly within just a couple of miles after it moved across the Arkansas River. According to a survey by the Red Cross, damage included 46 houses destroyed, 19 houses with major damage, 37 houses with minor damage, and 2 other houses affected. In addition, 6 mobile homes were destroyed, 1 mobile home had major damage, and 4 others suffered minor damage. Several businesses were damaged as well. Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. Several vehicles were blown off Interstate 40 as the tornado crossed the highway. One fatality occurred in the Lucky Landing area when a woman was thrown from her mobile home. Three fatalities, all members of a single family, occurred at a house on the east side of Atkins. Another fatality occurred in the Happy Bend community when a man left his mobile home and took shelter in a large, metal, intermodal shipping container. The container was blown hundreds of yards into the woods. The tornado then moved into Conway County, in the area west of Hattieville. Early on the 5th, a strong storm system approached from the Plains. Ahead of the system, breezy southerly winds provided well above normal temperatures and abundant moisture. Warmth and moisture destabilized the atmosphere and fueled developing thunderstorms. A cold front moved across the state causing numerous severe storms and several tornadoes. One of the tornadoes tracked from Yell County to Sharp County, staying on the ground for 121.84 miles. This track length set a record for the longest tornado path ever recorded in Arkansas. The continuous track was confirmed by two National Weather Service meteorologists who flew the track with the Civil Air Patrol. The final track was based on ground surveys, the Civil Air Patrol flight, and an aerial mapping flight performed for the Arkansas Forestry Commission.”  (NCDC.  Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Pope Ct., Galla Rock.)

 

Arkansas, Stone County Tornado:

 

“According to a Red Cross survey, 24 houses were destroyed, 11 suffered major damage, 11 had minor damage, and 21 others were affected. Mobile home damage included 14 destroyed, 4 with major damage, 4 with minor damage, and 6 others affected. Major damage to businesses occurred near the intersection of Arkansas Highways 5 and 14 on the southeast side of Mountain View. A car dealership was destroyed and some of the cars on the sales lot were thrown across the highway. One car was lofted over a building across the highway and then thrown down into a ravine. Nearby, a utility pole was pulled up by the tornado, and then a large part of the pole was jammed back into the ground with all the wires still attached. The Stone County Medical Center suffered substantial damage, and a number of doctors’ offices nearby were destroyed. Other businesses destroyed included a body shop, a paint shop, and a car parts store. A fire station had major damage. A major electrical transmission line outside of Mountain View was destroyed. It was nearly a week before the line could be rebuilt and power restored. One person was killed in a house just east of the Highway 5/14 intersection. The tornado continued into Izard County, in the area just northwest of Guion”  (NCDC.  Event Record Details, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Stone County.)

 

Arkansas, Van Buren County, Tornado:

 

“The tornado moved from Conway County, northeast of Cleveland, into Van Buren County, south-southeast of Beverage Town. A Red Cross survey indicated that 41 houses were destroyed, 26 suffered major damage, 29 had minor damage, and 30 others were affected. In addition, 21 mobile homes were destroyed, 4 suffered major damage, 2 had minor damage, and one other was affected. A boat factory was destroyed, and a church and a number of businesses were damaged. Three fatalities occurred: One in a house 3.2 miles south-southwest of Clinton, one at the boat factory in Clinton, and one in a mobile home 2.5 miles west of Shirley. The tornado continued into Stone County, south-southwest of Rushing..”  (NCDC, 5 Feb 2008, Van Buren County.)

 

NWS:  Southern Indiana and Central Kentucky Tornadoes:

 

“On the same day that 24 states were conducting primary voting for the 2008 presidential election, at least 84 tornadoes claimed 57 lives across the lower Ohio Valley and Southern United States.  Much of the day was characterized by anomalously warm temperatures, with highs in many places across the South in the upper 70s to lower 80s, all ahead of a strong cold front.  In Louisville, a high temperature of 68 was recorded at Standiford field on the 5th, with an early morning high of 67 on the 6th.  The high temperature in Louisville on February 7, after the outbreak, was 36 degrees.

 

“Beginning around 10 PM local time, storms began moving through central Kentucky and southern Indiana, first as discrete cells, and later as a strong squall line. Eighteen twisters were confirmed, making Super Tuesday the second largest outbreak in number of tornadoes recorded, second only to the 21 confirmed tornadoes on April 3, 1974.  Unlike the Super Outbreak, however, most of the tornadoes in the Louisville forecast area on February 5-6 were relatively weak, with short path lengths.  Unfortunately, 4 people were killed by an EF3 tornado, all in Allen County, Kentucky.  An additional EF3 tornado moved through Monroe County, and numerous EF2, EF1, and EF0 tornadoes occurred with the squall line as it raced across the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky.” (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY.  “13. Super Tuesday Outbreak February 5-6, 2008.” Top 25 Weather Events of All-Time in Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 3-4-2010 update.)

 

NCDC:  Kentucky, Allen County Tornado:

 

“The tornado destroyed 12 homes and mobile homes, mainly in the Amos community and in the Tracy Lane area. Many other homes and buildings were damaged. Four people were killed in the Tracy Lane area, and eleven others were injured in southeast Allen County. The tornado continued through rural and wooded sections of eastern Allen County, and crossed into Monroe County, Kentucky near the town of Fountain Run.”  (NCDC, 6 Feb 2008, Allen County.)

 

Kentucky, Muhlenberg County Tornado:

 

“Countywide, a total of 69 homes were destroyed and 203 were damaged. Of the 203 damaged homes, 56 sustained major damage. Most of the damage occurred in the communities of Greenville and Powderly, where 48 homes were destroyed and 32 sustained major damage (35 to 40 percent were mobile homes). The primary focus of attention was where the fatalities occurred at a mobile home park on U.S. Highway 62 near the Highway 189 bypass. In the Muhlenberg Industrial Park, a spec building was flattened and another building was heavily damaged. A half dozen businesses and churches were damaged, including a hotel and a car dealership. The Western Kentucky Parkway was closed near Central City due to trees blocking the road. A utility pole fell on a vehicle traveling on Kentucky 601. The tornado passed within a short distance southwest of a high school, where a basketball game was in progress at the time of the storm. A large portion of the gym roof was damaged, causing heavy water damage due to rainfall entering the building. The National Guard was activated to provide security for the area. The county was declared a federal major disaster area. The average path width was 325 yards. Peak winds were estimated near 160 mph.”  (NCDC. Tornado, Kentucky, 5 Feb 2008, Muhlenberg County.)

 

Tennessee, Fayette County, Tornado:

 

“A tornado touched down near Akin Road. Shortly after touchdown, the tornado crossed Yum-Yum Road. A man sitting in his truck in a shed was killed when the tornado struck the shed. The truck tumbled at least 40 feet and was severely damaged. Other vehicles were tossed about from the tornado. Substantial damage to large trees in the area occurred as well. The tornado continued northeast and crossed into Haywood County, Tennessee.”  (NCDC. Fayette County.)

 

Tennessee, Hardin County Tornado:

 

“The initial tornado touchdown occurred west of the Tennessee River near the intersection of Coffee Landing Road and Towboat Lane about 740 pm CST. The tornado then quickly raced northeast causing extensive damage to homes and trees just east of the Tennessee River in the Oak Grove, Cerro Gordo and Swift Communities. The tornado destroyed 59 houses, 11 mobile homes, 11 public buildings, a vacant store and 11 farm buildings. Another 117 structures received varying degrees of damage. Four of the 11 public buildings belonged to the Sharon Baptist Church. The church lost its sanctuary, preschool, academy and student center, off Cravens Road in the Oak Grove area. Two of the five injuries occurred at the church while two more injuries occurred in homes in the Oak Grove area. All three deaths occurred in mobile homes. Two of the deaths occurred in the Cerro Gordo area while the third fatality occurred in northeast Hardin County in the vicinity of Nance Bend Road and Highway 128. The tornado continued northeast before lifting near the intersection of Highway 114 and Highway 128 around 757 pm CST. The path length was about 16 miles and the maximum width was one half mile. The highest estimated winds were around 170 mph.”  (NCDC. Tennessee, Harden County.)

 

Tennessee, Macon County, Tornado:

 

“Thirteen people were killed, and 44 folks were injured. Most of the fatalities occurred in Williams, just northwest of Lafayette. Also, 170 homes were destroyed, and 9 homes had major damage. There was one indirect fatality, a male 48 years of age, due to carbon monoxide poisoning in his home from a generator on Feb. 6, 2008. Pres. George W. Bush toured Macon County destruction on February 8th and promised relief to individuals. The logging industry in Macon County was hit hard. About a million dollars worth of trees were destroyed, which will take decades to replenish. It was estimated that the tornado outbreak did 10 million dollars worth of damage to trees in the state of Tennessee. One large brick home worth about 350 thousand dollars was poorly built. The bricks rested on cinder blocks that were not cemented. This was noticed on a storm survey. Schools were closed for over a week, and classes did not start again until Tuesday, February 19. FEMA spent 4.1 million dollars for housing displaced residents in trailers. The Super Severe Weather Outbreak on Feb. 5, 2008 produced supercelluar thunderstorms, well in advance of a multicell line of thunderstorms. The whole episode lasted about 6 hours. This occurred…while many states, including Tennessee, were participating in the Super Tuesday Primary Election. Fortunately, polls had already closed in the mid state when these tornadoes struck.”  (NCDC. Tornado, TN, 5 Feb 1998, Green Grove.)

 

Tennessee, Madison County, Tornado:

 

“A tornado crossed into Madison County from Haywood County, Tennessee. The tornado struck the town of Huntersville and produced EF-3 damage. One home was totally destroyed on Huntersville-Denmark Road. One person was killed inside the home. Another home was destroyed in Huntersville. One person was killed in this home as well. Numerous homes were destroyed or damaged along the path in Huntersville area. The St. John No. 2 Baptist Church was severely damaged and the church bus was flipped upside down and tossed several hundred feet. The tornado lifted northeast of Huntersville near Interstate 40. A rest area along Interstate 40 was severely damaged. Thirteen tractor-trailers and several cars were also blown off of the Interstate due to the tornado. One car was tossed 75 yards from Interstate 40 into a farm field. Along the track of this tornado over 50 structures were destroyed and over 80 more were damaged.”  (NCDC. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Madison County)

 

Tennessee, Shelby County, Tornado:

 

“A tornado continued northeast from DeSoto County, Mississippi. After the tornado crossed into Tennessee, several warehouses sustained damage. The DSC warehouse near Clarke Road was struck causing EF-2 damage. Three people were killed inside the warehouse. Hardy Bottling Company sustained substantial damage as well. Tractor-trailers were tossed about in the area. Windows were shattered in the Willow Lake Business Park and utility poles and trees were snapped in the area. A utility substation sustained severe damage along Clarke Road causing major power outages in the area. The tornado then continued northeast and struck homes along Maple Tree Drive and Pinbranch Court. Five homes received major damage and had to be condemned. Other homes sustained roof damage. The tornado continued northeast and struck the Hickory Ridge Mall causing a wall to collapse at the Sears Department Store. Six injuries occurred at the mall. This damage was estimated at EF-1. The tornado then struck a Taco Bell along Winchester Road before lifting. Thirteen people in all were transported to an area hospital due to injuries sustained from the tornado.” (NCDC, TN, 5 Feb 2998, Shelby County)

 

Tennessee, Sumner County Tornado:

 

“The Castalian Springs Post Office was completely destroyed. There were 85 homes destroyed in Sumner County. Also in Castalian Springs, a 180 year-old structure called Wynnewood, lost the top of its structure due to the tornado. The historic log structure served as a stagecoach stop. The structure had 3 chimneys and was 142 feet long, making it the longest log structure in Tennessee. Officials say it would take 2 years and $6 million to restore Wynnewood. It is Sumner County’s sole historic landmark. Also, 102 trees were lost in the area by the tornado. The 11-month-old son of Kerri Stowell survived the storm and was found miraculously unharmed in a field across the street from their home in Castalian Springs.[19]  Unfortunately, Kerri Stowell was killed in the tornado. The tornado directly killed 7 people in Sumner County, and there was one indirect fatality when Mr. Lampkin, age 63, died of a heart attack while seeking shelter in his home. There were 14 people injured in Sumner County. This tornado continued into Trousdale and Macon Counties, and also into Kentucky.”  (NCDC, Tornado, TN, 5 Feb 2008, Sumner County.)

 

Tennessee, Trousdale County Tornado:

 

“Tornado ripped a gas plant and caused a gas leak and fire at the Columbia Gulf Transmission Company at 5422 Green Grove Road in Hartsville, TN. The fire eventually burned itself out. Two people were killed, and 5 people were injured. Ten homes were destroyed, and 23 homes had major damage.”  (NCDC, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Trousdale County.)

 

Newspapers:

 

Feb 6: “In Jackson, Tennessee, a tornado trapped Union University students and retirees in collapsed buildings….”It looks like a war zone,” said university President David Dockery. “Cars and trucks thrown from one side of the campus to the other.” Dockery said the women’s dorms were destroyed, along with two academic buildings. Many other school buildings received lesser damage. Classes were canceled at least until February 18, he said.  Nine students were hospitalized overnight, but there were no life-threatening injuries…”  (CNN.  February 6, 2008.)

 

Feb 5, 2009: “The tornado outbreak of Feb. 5, 2008, included 131 twisters, according to the Storm Prediction Center. It left 59 people dead, including 14 in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky and five in Alabama. It was the deadliest outbreak of the year and the highest number of fatalities in a single cluster of tornadoes since the Ohio-Pennsylvania storm of May 31, 1985, killed 76 people, according to the National Climatic Data Center.” (USA Today. “Tennessee, A Year Later…” Feb 5, 2009.)

Sources

 

CNN. “Severe Weather, Tornadoes Kill Dozens Across South, February 6, 2008.” Accessed at:  http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/02/06/tornadoes/index.html

 

Find A Grave. “Carol Irene Boyd.” Record added 2-14-2008. Accessed 6-26-2015 at: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=24616517

 

Lafayette, Tennessee (website). “Tornado: February 5, 2008.” Accessed 6-26-2015 at: http://www.lafayettetn.com/tornado_20080205.htm

 

Lyons, Mike. “Tornadoes May Break Record For Year.”  Palm Beach Daily News, 11-1-2008.  At: http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/content/news/2008/11/01/lyons1102.html

 

Macon County Times. “Obituaries.” Accessed 6-26-2015 at: http://maconcountytimes.com/view/full_story/1531732/article-OBITUARIES

 

Macon County Times, TN. “Remembering those we’ve lost.” 2-2-2012, 9A. Accessed 6-26-2015 at: http://assets.matchbin.com/sites/513/assets/K9E5_2_2_pdf.pdf

 

Macon County Times, TN. “Six years later.” 2-5-2014. Accessed 6-26-2015 at: http://www.maconcountytimes.com/news/home_top-news/3558788/Six-years-later

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Alabama, 6 Feb 2008, Jackson County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce.  Accessed 2/4/2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696278

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Alabama, 6 Feb 2008, Lawrence County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2/4/2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696277

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Baxter County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696254

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Conway County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696205

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Izard County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696500

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Pope County, Galla Rock. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696822

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Stone County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696499

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Arkansas, 5 Feb 2008, Van Buren County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2/4/2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696206

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Kentucky, 5 Feb 2008, Muhlenberg County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at: http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~695741

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Kentucky, 6 Feb 2008, Allen County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~695798

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Fayette County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-25-2015 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=82841

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Hardin County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696456

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Macon Count, Green Grove. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at: http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~695201

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Madison County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at: http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696905

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Shelby County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696928

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Sumner County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~696645

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Tennessee, 5 Feb 2008, Trousdale County. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~695786

 

National Weather Service. Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of February 5-6, 2008. Silver Spring, MD: NWS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, March 2009. Accessed 6-25-2015 at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/super_tuesday.pdf

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Little Rock, AR. “Severe Weather on February 5, 2008.”  NWS/NOAA, 9-20-2008 update. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/svr0208.htm

 

Reuters. “Tornado Toll Rises to 57.”  2-8-2008. At: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318360/1574408

 

Storm Prediction Center. Fatal Tornadoes/County-Fatalities, State Fatalities and EF-Scale for Feb 5-6, 2008 Outbreak. Norman, OK: SPC, National Weather Service, NOAA, July 9, 2008 update. Accessed at:  http://www.spc.noaa.gov/wcm/noaa-outbreak-graphic.png

 

Storm Prediction Center. SPC Storm Reports for 02/05/08. Norman, OK: SPC, National Weather Service, NOAA. Accessed at: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/080205_rpts.html

 

Tornado Project Online. Recent Tornadoes. US Killer Tornadoes of 2008. Accessed at: http://www.tornadoproject.com/

 

USA Today. “Tennessee, A Year Later, Still Feels Tornado’s Wrath.” 2-5-2009. Accessed at:  http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/tornadoes/2009-02-04-tennessee-tornado_N.htm

 

Wikipedia. “2008 Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak.” Accessed 2-4-2009 at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Super_Tuesday_tornado_outbreak

 

 

 

 

 

[1] The range has to do with one NWS source noting seven deaths in Sumner County, TN, and another noting eight.

[2] We would surmise that the reason the Storm Prediction Center’s fatality count is 57 and not 59 is that the two indirect heart attack fatalities noted in the NCDC Storm Event Data Base are not included.

[3] NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado… March 2009, p. D-1.

[4] Also NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Tornado. EF3. Arkansas. Pope. Feb 5, 2008.

[5] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Tornado. EF4. Arkansas. Stone. Feb 5, 2008; and NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado… March 2009, p. D-2.

[6] And: NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment. Super Tuesday Tornado… Mar 2009, p. D-2.

[7] The range has to do with one NWS source noting seven deaths in Sumner County, and another noting eight.

[8] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details, Tornado, TN, Fayette County, 5 Feb 2008.

[9] Same 18 names listed in 2-5-2014 Macon Times article and in Lafayette, TN website (plus photo of memorial).

[10] Essentially the same as “In Memoriam” section of Lafayette, TN website, except full names and ages provided.

[11] Find A Grave. “Carol Irene Boyd.” Record added 2-14-2008.

[12] Macon County Times. “Obituaries.” Accessed 6-26-2015.

[13] Not used in tally in that we have from multiple sources, names of eighteen fatalities.

[14] Not used in tally in that we have from multiple sources, names of eighteen fatalities.

[15] Also: NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details, Tornado, TN, Madison. 2-5-2008.

[16] Also: NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Tornado, TN, Shelby. 2-5-2008.

[17] NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment… D4.

[18] NWS. “Appendix D. Fatality Statistics.” Service Assessment… D4.

[19] The Toddler, Kyson Stowell, was found in a muddy field by a firefighter.  “Rescuers found  Kyson face-down and motionless in a rural field northeast of Nashville strewn with splintered lumber, couches and toys, about 100 yards away from his mother’s body.  But the infant was OK, needing only two days of hospital treatment for scrapes and a collapsed lung.”  (AP.  “Infant Who Survived Tenn. Tornado Grows Up Fast,” Feb 5, 2009)

— 9  NTSB. HAR. Motorcoach Run-Off-the-Road and Rollover…Mexican Hat, Utah… Abstract

 

NTSB Abstract: “About 8:02 p.m., mountain standard time, a 2007 Motor Coach Industries 56-passenger motorcoach with a driver and 52 passengers on board was traveling southbound, descending a 5.6-percent grade leading to a curve to the left, 1,800 feet north of milepost 29 on U.S. Route 163. After entering the curve, the motorcoach departed the right side of the roadway at a shallow angle, striking the guardrail with the right-rear wheel and lower coach body. The motorcoach traveled approximately 350 feet along the foreslope, with the right tires off the roadway. The back tires lost traction as the foreslope transitioned into the drainage ditch. The motorcoach rotated in a counterclockwise direction as it descended an embankment. The motorcoach overturned, struck several rocks in a drainage ditch bed at the bottom of the embankment, and came to rest on its wheels. During the 360-degree rollover sequence, the roof of the motorcoach separated from the body, and 50 of the 53 occupants were ejected. Nine passengers were fatally injured, and 43 passengers and the driver received injuries ranging from minor to serious.

 

“Major safety issues identified by this accident investigation include driver fatigue, excessive vehicle speed, hours-of-service violations, motor carrier trip planning, motorcoach occupant protection, and emergency medical notification and response with regard to large motorcoaches traveling on rural roads. As a result of its investigation, the Safety Board makes recommendations to the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services, the Utah Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, the Federal Highway Administration, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials, the American Bus Association, the United Motorcoach Association, and Arrow Stage Lines. The Safety Board also reiterates one previously issued recommendation to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.” National Transportation Safety Board. Highway Accident Report. Motorcoach Run-Off-the-Road and Rollover, U.S. Route 163, Mexican Hat, Utah, January 6, 2008 (NTSB/HAR-09/01). Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 4-21-2009.)

 

Source

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Highway Accident Report. Motorcoach Run-Off-the-Road and Rollover, U.S. Route 163, Mexican Hat, Utah, January 6, 2008 (NTSB/HAR-09/01). Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 4-21-2009. Accessed 6-25-2015 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR0901.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–641 CDC Wonder. (Average hypothermia death rate was 0.21 per 100,000 population.)

Death rate for hypothermia per 100,000 population, where noted.

Arizona 22 0.35
Arkansas 10
California 42 0.11
Colorado 13
Georgia 15
Illinois 34 0.27
Indiana 17
Kentucky 13
Maryland 18
Massachusetts 16
Michigan 45 0.45
Minnesota 16 0.38
Missouri 16
Montana 12
New Jersey 13
New Mexico 18
New York 32 0.17
North Carolina 16 0.23
Ohio 21 0.18
Oklahoma 10
Oregon 10
Pennsylvania 22 0.17
South Dakota 11
Tennessee 10
Texas 19
Utah 11
Virginia 10 0.28
Washington 20 0.21
Wisconsin 29 0.21

Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html on Aug 17, 2021 12:51:59 PM

–20  CDC. Compressed Mortality, 1999-2016. CDC Wonder Online Database, June 2017.

 

Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) (Streptococcus pyogenes): “Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is a severe illness associated with invasive or noninvasive group A streptococcal (Streptococcus pyogenes) infection. STSS may occur with infection at any site but most often occurs in association with infection of a cutaneous lesion [skin injury]. Signs of toxicity and a rapidly progressive clinical course are characteristic, and the case fatality rate may exceed 50%.” (CDC. Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) (Streptococcus pyogenes) 2020 Case Definition.)

 

Stevens on STSS: “Since the 1980s there has been a marked increase in the recognition and reporting of highly invasive group A streptococcal infections with or without necrotizing fasciitis[1] associated with shock and organ failure. Such dramatic cases have been defined as streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome. Strains of group A streptococci isolated from patients with invasive disease have been predominantly M types 1 and 3 that produce pyrogenic[2] exotoxin A or B or both….

 

“…many old pathogens have become major clinical problems because of increased virulence or antibiotic resistance (e.g., penicillin-resistant pneumococcus, multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium). Arguably, group A Streptococcus (GAS) is the quintessence of an old organism that has become more virulent….

 

“Recently, severe invasive GAS [Group A Streptococcal] infections associated with shock and organ failure have been reported with increasing frequency, predominantly from North America and Europe…These infections have been termed streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome (TSS…)

 

“Persons of all ages are affected; most do not have predisposing underlying diseases. This is in sharp contrast to previous reports of GAS bacteremia, in which patients were either under 10 or over 60 years of age, and most had underlying conditions such as cancer, renal failure, leukemia, or severe burns or were receiving corticosteroids or other immunosuppressing drugs. The complications of current GAS infections are severe; bacteremia associated with aggressive soft tissue infection, shock, adult respiratory distress syndrome and renal failure are common; 30% to 70% of patients die in spite of aggressive modern treatments…

 

“The portal of entry of streptococci cannot be proven in at least half the cases and can only be presumed in many others. Patients with symptomatic pharyngitis rarely develop streptococcal TSS, though such cases have been reported, especially in the last year. Procedures such as suctionlipectomy, hysterectomy, vaginal delivery, bunionectomy [bunion surgery] and bone pinning[3] have provided a portal of entry in many cases (author’s unpublished observations). Most commonly, infection begins at a site of minor local trauma, which frequently does not result in a break in the skin. Numerous cases have developed within 24 to 72 hours of minor nonpenetrating trauma, resulting in hematoma, deep bruise to the calf, or even muscle strain. Virus infections, such as varicella [chickenpox] and influenza, have provided a portal in other cases. In some cases the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents may have either masked the early symptoms or predisposed the patient to more severe streptococcal infection and shock. For the most part, these infections have occurred sporadically and have not been associated with clusters of cases or minor epidemics, though outbreaks of severe GAS-infections have occurred in closed environments such as nursing homes.

 

“Pain the most common initial symptom of streptococcal TSS is abrupt in onset and severe, and usually precedes tenderness or physical findings. The pain usually involves an extremity but may also mimic peritonitis,[4] pelvic inflammatory disease, pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, or pericarditis.[5] Twenty percent of patients have an influenza-like syndrome characterized by fever, chills, myalgia [muscle pain], nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Fever is the most common early sign, although hypothermia may be present in patients with shock. Confusion is present in 55% of patients, and in some, coma or combativeness is manifest. Eighty percent of patients have clinical signs of soft tissue infection, such as localized swelling and erythema,[6] which in 70% of patients progressed to necrotizing fasciitis or myositis[7] and required surgical debridement,[8] fasciotomy[9] or amputation. An ominous sign is the progression of soft tissue swelling to the formation of vesicles, then bullae,[10] which appear violaceous[11] or bluish….” (Stevens. “Streptococcal Toxic-Shock Syndrome: Spectrum of Disease, Pathogenesis, and New Concepts in Treatment.” Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 1995.)

 

Sources

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Compressed Mortality File 1999-2016. CDC Wonder Online Database, released June 2017. ICD-10 code A48.3, Toxic shock syndrome (2008). Accessed 11-1-2018 at: https://wonder.cdc.gov

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) (Streptococcus pyogenes) 2020 Case Definition. Accessed 11-1-2018 at: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nndss/conditions/streptococcal-toxic-shock-syndrome/case-definition/2010/

 

Stevens, Dennis L. “Streptococcal Toxic-Shock Syndrome: Spectrum of Disease, Pathogenesis, and New Concepts in Treatment.” Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 1995. Accessed 11-1-2018 at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/1/3/95-0301_article

 

[1] Rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body and can cause death. (CDC)

[2] Producing or produced by fever.

[3] Medical procedure wherein metal screws, pins, rods or plates are used to hold a bone or bones in place.

[4] Inflammation of the peritoneum — a silk-like membrane that lines the abdominal wall and covers the organs within the abdomen. (Mayo Clinic. “Peritonitis.”

[5] Inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart.

[6] Superficial reddening of the skin, usually in patches, as a result in injury or irritation causing dilation of the blood capillaries.

[7] Inflammation of the muscles one uses to move the body.

[8] Removal of damaged tissue or foreign objects from a wound.

[9] Surgical procedure where the fascia (thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing a muscle or organ.

[10] Bubble-like cavity filled with air or fluid.

[11] Of a violet color.