VICTIMS FROM MORNING TRAFFIC WRECK IDENTIFIED
MARRIED COUPLE DIED TOGETHER IN SUBMERGED CAR
A Clearwater couple leaving
the Gulf-to-Bay Plaza shopping center died Thursday morning after
their car was involved in a collision with another car on Belcher
Road, left the roadway and sank beneath the water of a large retention
pond next to a mobile home community.
Despite the expedient efforts of Clearwater Fire Department rescuers
and at least two passers-by - all of whom swam more than 30 yards
out into the brackish, murky water - the elderly man and woman were
pronounced dead shortly after their rescue from the submerged Ford
Taurus. An autopsy will determine their cause of death.
Roderick Austin Wood (08-16-13) and his wife, Effie M. Wood (03-31-19),
of 2109 University Court, were pronounced dead shortly after arriving
at Morton Plant Hospital. Once they were freed from their car, Clearwater
Fire Department rescuers worked for some time to save the Wood’s
lives before they were taken from the scene.
The driver of the other car, Edith Odijk (CQ) (11-15-45) of 900
Cove Cay Drive, Clearwater, was hospitalized for treatment of comparatively
minor injuries incurred in the low-speed crash.
The investigation into the circumstances of this crash is continuing,
and no charges have been filed in connection with this investigation.
The wreck happened just after 9:30 Thursday morning when the Woods
- driving westbound out of the shopping center parking lot, perhaps
intending to turn left (south) toward their home - collided in the
traffic signal-controlled intersection of Belcher Road with Odijk,
who was driving northbound on Belcher. Neither car was extensively
damaged in the crash, and the Wood’s caromed off Ms. Odijk’s and
continued across Belcher Road, jumping the curb before sliding down
a short incline into the several-acre sized retention pond. It sank
quickly.
Clearwater Fire Department rescuers – notified of the situation
at 9:38 a.m. – arrived within two minutes, and five of the eight
first-responding firefighters went into the dank water to try and
free the couple from the submerged 1995 Taurus.
Lieutenant Shawn Tellone, a 19-year veteran of the fire service,
worked with four other Station 49 firefighters to open the front
driver’s side door of the car and free Mr. and Mrs. Wood. Two passers-by,
John Braden of St. Petersburg and Gary Connett of Clearwater, also
jumped into the retention pond to help rescue the people in the
car.
All traffic, both north- and southbound on Belcher Road, was rerouted
from the time of the crash until 1:15 Thursday afternoon, effectively
closing the major commuter artery at Gulf-to-Bay and Druid Road.
This is the extent of
information available regarding this investigation. For additional
details, please contact Clearwater Police Public Information Officer
Wayne Shelor at (727)-562-4333.
SID KLEIN
Chief of Police
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