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Two Charged In Teen Car Crash In Ocala Fly-In Community

By Eddie Farah

Last January, five young men in an expensive car, took a fast ride on a runway in an exclusive fly-in community in Ocala, Florida before crashing and killing everyone in the car.

Thefly-in community of Jumbolair Aviation Estates is the same place where actor John Travolta lives and flies in to park his jet in central Florida.

About 3:45 in the morning on a Saturday, the five young men, ages 18 to 20, left a party and piled into a 2008 BMW. As the car sped 120 mph toward the end of the runway, it skidded and flew off the end of an 85-foot embankment, became airborne and struck a large tree.

The car split in half and three of the five young men were ejected. All were killed at the scene. The boys came from communities around north Florida including Jacksonville.One young man was on the football team at Jacksonville University.

Five young lives extinguished in one moment.

Now two women have been killed in connection with the accident.

It turns out all five young men had been at a nearby house party. Police say thedriver, Joshua Ammirato,18, of Fairfield, did not have alcohol in his system, and neither did three of the other young men. But, just the same, police are charging Jolane McAlister with providing alcohol to underage drinkers at the party. She cannot be charged with causing the accident, if alcohol did not play a role, but itis illegal to serve minors.

And now the 20-year-old daughter of Jumbolair's owner has turned herself into authorities, charged with making a false statement to law officers who investigated the tragedy. She is reported to have told officers that she didn't attend the party and was asleep when the accident occurred. But witness say she was not only there but may have let the boys sneak into the pool party at a house near Runway 36.

Thayer's boyfriend, Issac Rubin, who died in the car, did have a blood alcohol level of .103.

In the police report, tests show four the five didn't have alcohol in their systems, but that doesn't mean they did not consume alcohol earlier in the evening. Authorities say driver, Ammirato was a "health nut" and took care of himself and likely did not consume any alcohol.

Thayer is facing a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Expect the Florida Highway Patrol to file more charges in connection with this tragedy that just didn't have to happen.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on June 04, 2008 (boomark / email).