<font color="#FF0000">BREAKING NEWS:</font> CRASH KILLS 1, SENDS 4 TO HOSPITAL

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- Photo: Suwannee County Fire/Rescue

July 5, 2009

Staff

A Live Oak woman was killed and four others badly hurt in a Suwannee County crash on Independence Day.

April Jo Mercer, 27, died when the 1999 Ford pickup in which she was a passenger failed to stop at an intersection and was struck by an SUV, according to Florida Highway Patrol reports. Driver Timothy Wells, 41, and passenger James Mercer, 6, both of Live Oak, suffered serious injuries and were lifeflighted to hospitals in Jacksonville and Gainesville.

The occupants of the other vehicle, driver J. Patrick Tharpe, 59, and Ellen N. Tharpe, 53, both of Royal Palm Beach, suffered serious injuries and were hospitalized, J. Patrick Tharpe at Shands UF, Ellen N. Tharpe at Shands Live Oak.

According to reports, Wells was northbound on 169th Road at about 6 p.m. when he entered the intersection with 104th Street without coming to a halt at the stop sign. Tharpe’s 2009 Dodge struck the passenger side of the pickup, causing the truck to overturn. The pickup came to rest right side up facing south. The SUV also overturned, coming to rest on its roof.

FHP said none of the occupants in the pickup were wearing seatbelts, while the Tharpes were both properly restrained.

April Jo Mercer was pronounced dead at the scene, said FHP.

Charges are pending, said FHP.