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Truck Crash Kills Lake City Medical Center Employee

October 27, 2005

On Tuesday afternoon, Pablo Flores lost control of his pickup truck, struck, and killed Gilbert V. McGhin on the shoulder of U.S. 90 West near Brown Road.

Gilbert V. McGhin, 57, of White Springs, was standing on the north shoulder of the highway when he was hit by Pablo Flores, 31, of Live Oak.

McGhin was in the process of photographing a future expansion site for the hospital as part of an assignment for the public affairs office at Lake City Medical Center when he was struck and killed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

At approximately 1:50 p.m., Flores, was headed west in his Toyota Tacoma pickup and apparently lost control of his vehicle.

According to FHP reports, the weather conditions were rainy and hydroplaning was a strong possibility on the road.

There was heavy rain, and there was some water standing on the road, said a public information officer for Troop B of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Officers speculated that Flores could have overreacted when he began to lose control, but ultimately the end result was that he did eventually lose control of the vehicle and left the road.

The truck spun and hit Mr. McGhin with the rear of the vehicle and finally came to rest after hitting a fence.'

McGhin was killed instantly.

Neither Flores nor the passenger in his vehicle, Susan Hollongshead, 29, of Live Oak, was injured.

According to Florida Highway Patrol, there was no evidence that showed that drugs or alcohol impaired the ability of the driver and caused the wreck.

Mr. Flores submitted to a voluntary blood drawing to check for drug influence, said State Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol Troop B. The test did not detect any drugs or alcohol in his system.

Flores could possibly face charges of careless driving, a fine, and possibly a suspended license, according to FHP.

MAN HELD IN CONNCECTION WITH Auto CRASH THAT KILLED TWO

A Rockledge man was arrested Tuesday facing two counts each of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter after his involvement in a head-on crash that left a Palm Bay man and his 5-year-old son dead.

The accident happened on the BeachLine Expressway, where Ian Lawrence, 31, and his son Savin were fatally injured early Monday when they were struck by Clyde Hammons Jr., 61, who was driving his car in the wrong direction, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Hammons' blood-alcohol level was tested at nearly three times the level which is the established point where one is presumed intoxicated, a patrol spokesman said.

Hammons was taken into custody upon his release from Orlando Regional Medical Center. He is being held in the Orange County Jail.