3 hurt in 'horrific accident' on Dean Road
Walter Pacheco | Sentinel Staff Writer
3:17 PM EST, December 2, 2008
Three teenagers were rushed to the hospital Tuesday after a violent traffic accident in east Orange County, troopers said.
Nanette Benítez, 18, and Raúl Otero, 17 both of Orlando are listed in critical condition at Orlando Regional Medical Center. The third victim, Randi Shaller, 18, of Orlando, is also at ORMC and listed in stable condition.
Sgt. Kim Miller of the Florida Highway Patrol described the accident scene at N. Dean Road and Richardson Court as "horrific."
Orange County Firefighters used special hydraulic tools to remove two of the victims from the wreckage that shut down the intersection for several hours, according to rescue officials.
More Orlando Sentinel blogs Trooper reports show that Benítez was driving her Mitsubishi pickup truck southbound on Dean Road when she tried to pass a Chevy pickup driven by Joseph Cantrell, 66, of Orlando.
As Benítez changed lanes, her truck clipped the front of Cantrell's truck. The impact caused Cantrell's truck to lose control and spin on the roadway.
Cantrell's truck swerved into the northbound lanes of Dean Road and struck Shaller's Dodge pickup truck in a head-on collision.
Otero, a student at University High School, was a passenger in Shaller's truck and troopers said he was not wearing a seat belt.
Records show that Benítez also was not wearing her seat belt.
"It couldn't be avoided," Miller said of the head-on collision..
A total of 25 Orange County firefighters were dispatched to the accident scene because of the severity of the injuries.
