Four seriously injured in Christmas Eve accidents

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Four people were seriously injured in a pair of head-on collisions on Christmas Eve, one in Branford and the other just south of Live Oak.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 58-year-old Wanda Lanette Alman was traveling south on County Road 49 approaching the intersection with U.S. Highway 27 in Branford at 11 a.m. Sunday.

At the same time, 42-year-old Kevin Haney Haeusser, of Saint George Island, was traveling east on U.S. 27 approaching the intersection with CR 49, according to the FHP report.

The report states that Alman, of Branford, did not stop at the stop light and failed to yield to the right of way to Haeusser.

The front of Haeusser’s 2005 Toyota 5D then struck the right front side of Alman’s 2012 Lincoln MKS, according to the report.

The Lincoln stopped in the wood line just south of U.S. 27 facing south, while the Toyota stopped in the northbound lane of U.S. Highway 129 facing west.

Alman was transported to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville with serious injuries.

Haeusser was not injured in the accident.

Charges are pending an investigation.

Two hours later, an accident sent seven people to hospitals, three in serious condition.

According to FHP, 60-year-old Marion Levi Watts, of Live Oak, was driving south on U.S. Highway 129 at 1:20 p.m. Sunday approaching the intersection with 122nd Street just south of Live Oak.

Watts began to make a left turn onto 122nd Street in his 2004 Chevrolet Colorado, failing to yield the right of way to Melinda Daryl Lewis, who was headed north on U.S. 129 in her 2012 Kia Sorento, according to the FHP report.

The report states that the front of the Chevrolet struck the front of the Kia, which caused the Kia to spin counter clockwise, stopping in the northbound lane of U.S. 129 facing west.

Watts and passenger James Eric Watts, 27, suffered minor injuries and were transported to Shands Live Oak Regional Medical Center. Arminda Watts, 3, and Philip Petty, 8, also passengers in the pickup, also were taken to Shands Live Oak with minor injuries.

Kayla Watts, 26, of Live Oak, was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville in serious condition.

Both Lewis, a 47-year-old from Lake City, and passenger Karen Lee Stewart, 27 and from Branford, were also taken to Shands UF with serious injuries.

Charges are pending an investigation.

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