331 Accident Report

[WZEP AM 1460]

331 Accident

A witness said he saw the car pass then nothing but dust as the trucks crashed. In a section of roadway with a caution light and well striped lanes, an out of state driver passing in a no passing zone resulted in two being life flighted. The accident was Tuesday morning around 7:40am on U.S. 331 just south of Rock Hill Road before site C-6 cutoff. Two Airheart copters were used to transport, both landing in the shut-down highway.

The FHP says 34-year-old Denis Leonel Martinez, of Louisville Kentucky, was travelling south on 331 in a 2005 Dodge Caravan and passing a line of traffic in a no passing zone. A 2012 Chevy pickup, driven by 50-year-old Leonard Woodward, of DeFuniak Springs was also southbound ahead of Martinez. Martinez did not have time to get back into the southbound lane and sideswiped the pickup. He then entered the northbound lane, occupied by a Freightliner semi, driven by 42-year-old Shannon Addleman, of Lakeland and stuck the tractor-trailer rig. The impact caused the truck to jackknife and veer into the southbound lane occupied by a petroleum fuel tanker, driven by 48-year-old Douglas Lehotay, of Crestview. While the tanked did not stop in time, the driver did take evasive action and swerved to the west shoulder and struck the other semi head-on, then rolled onto its side.

Martinez, the driver of the first vehicle is listed with serious injuries. Alcohol is not a factor. Charges are pending. Woodward did not suffer physical injuries. Both drivers of the semis are listed with serious injuries.

The highway was closed for around three hours as crews worked the scene and cleared the trucks. The Sheriff’s Office and Walton Public Works placed message boards to help redirect traffic.

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