(WWL.com) - Five Louisiana children from Marskville, Louisiana on their way to Disney World were among the seven killed in a fiery crash on I-75 in north Florida on Thursday. Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Patrick Riordan says the five vehicle wreck started when a big rig and passenger car heading north collided.
"And then subsequently went through the guardrail traveling into the southbound lanes, at some point those vehicles struck a passenger van and the other semi-truck," said Riordan. Witnesses say when the two semi-trucks collided an explosion occurred. Riordan says the drivers of the two big rigs were killed. He says the passenger van from the Avoyelles House of Mercy was heading south. The United Pentecostal Church has released a statement that says 12 people were in the van, including Sister Karen Descant, the pastor’s wife. Two other adults were also in the van, they all survived, including a pregnant woman who gave birth after the wreck. The four children injured are expected to recover.
The truck driver at the center of the multi-vehicle wreck had multiple traffic tickets in at least five different states.
59-year-old Steve Holland had violations including speeding, driving an overloaded vehicle, failing to carry proof of insurance and driving an unsafe vehicle. Lt. Riordan says the Florida Highway Patrol will conduct an extensive investigation that will include homicide detectives. "So at some point and it sounds early on, they can start having some closure as quickly as we can do what we are going to do to let them understand what transpired," said Riordan. The names of the victims were released Friday afternoon, all of them are from Marksville. 14-year-old Joel Cloud 14-year-old Jeremiah Warren 9-year-old Cierra Bordelan13-year-old Cara Descant 10-year-old Brieana Descant Seven other people from Ayvolles Parish were involved in the crash and listed in serious condition. 45-year-old Amy Joffiron of Mansura 30-year-old Ali Laborde of Marksville 50-year-old Karen Descant of Marksville 14-year-old Noah Joffrian on Mansura 11-year-old Chelsea Laborde of Marksville9-year-old Trinity Woodward of Hessmer 9-year-old Chance Bernard of Hessmer. The two truck drivers killed are from Florida and New Mexico.
