Sept. 29, 2010 – Christmas, FL. - Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol have confirmed that a fatal car accident on East State Road 50 that took place Sept. 24 was caused by a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction on the busy roadway.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Calvin Williams, 33, of Christmas suffered fatal injuries when his Honda Prelude was struck head-on by a Hyundai SUVthat was heading west in the eastbound lanes of S.R. 50 in Christmas.

The wreckage was so bad that emergency crews had to remove Williams from his vehicle using special equipment. He was then rushed to Florida Hospital East, where he was later pronounced dead. Police said he was not wearing a seatbelt during the car accident.

The driver of the Hyundai SUV, Catherine Peterson, 50, of Winter Springs, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Police also said that a third vehicle, a Ford Escort, was involved in the crash, resulting in serious injuries for the driver, Jeffrey Rory Eller, 42. It seems the force of the initial head-on collision sent the Honda into a spin, causing the rear of the vehicle to lift from the road. The Honda came crashing down on top of the Ford, trapping Eller inside.

Authorities have not yet determined why Peterson was driving the wrong way on S.R. 50, but have said that charges may be pending. As of this posting, police were also waiting for the test results on post-accident alcohol tests for both Peterson and Williams.

As a service to the residents of Central Florida, we will occasionally publish news events, such as car accidents, that are related to our areas of practice. We do this to raise awareness of the types of accidents that can commonly occur in our region and the particular driving “trouble spots” of which to be aware in our community.

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