Fiery crash kills 5 young men
Troopers suspect alcohol played a role in tragedy
ANTHONY - Details about the tragic car crash at Greystone Airport that claimed the lives of five young men early Saturday are still emerging, and it may be some time - if ever - before investigators piece together all the pertinent facts.
One thing is certain. The families and friends of Jacob James Casey, 19; James Devon Hime, 19; Joshua D. Ammirato, 18; Dustin J. Dawe, 19; and Isaac Rubin, 20, are devastated.
All five were pronounced dead at the scene after an apparent high-speed crash that investigators say likely involved alcohol.
Ammirato was driving his father's gray 2008 BMW M5 sedan. The $80,000 car, registered to Santo Ammirato, was traveling north on the 1.5-mile-long airstrip that actor John Travolta and others regularly use to fly in and out of Ocala.
Florida Highway Patrol Capt. Jeff Succi said there were yaw, or sideways, skid marks at the end of the runway, indicating the car turned sideways before launching over an embankment. It then sailed through the air about 200 feet before slamming into a large tree and bursting into flames.
Troopers believe the car traveled over the 80- to 85-foot high embankment at the end of the airstrip and struck the tree about 15 feet above the ground. The car broke into two pieces upon impact.
Three of victims were ejected from the car, FHP officials said. Succi said the crash appears to be alcohol-related, but added that toxicology reports will provide the definitive answer. Succi said the men apparently had been at a party in the hours before the crash, but FHP was still in the process of interviewing witnesses.
It is not yet known whether any of the victims were wearing seat belts.
The crash was reported to Marion County Fire Rescue at 3:47 a.m. All five men were pronounced dead between 3:55 and 3:56 a.m. by Fire Rescue paramedics at the scene.
The vehicle came to rest in flames near the home of Augustine and Kristina Berenguer in the 1400 block of Northeast 95th Street. The Berenguers were awakened by a bang and saw flames through a window. They said the nearby crash shook their house.
Augustine Berenguer went outside to see what had happened and shouted for his wife to call 911.
George Borger, who lives next to the airstrip, said a loud engine noise woke him up at 3:30 a.m.
"I saw them going up and down the runway," he said. "I don't know how fast they were going, but they were flying."
NORTH MARION MOURNING
The accident strikes at the heart of the North Marion community as three of the young men are North Marion High School graduates. Hime, Ammirato, and Dawe all attended the school.
Rubin attended Forest High School, where he was also a wrestler. Casey graduated from Trinity Catholic High, where he played football before moving on to play for Jacksonville University.
North Marion High School's former and current students began gathering at Sparr Baptist Church on County Road 329 at about 2 p.m. Saturday to mourn the death of the five young men.
North Marion High School principal Kathy Quelland knew three of the young men in the car.
"They were all wrestlers and involved in others sports and very popular students, so this is going to hit the North Marion community really hard," Quelland said.
Kathy Crile, whose son graduated with the men and was on the wrestling team with them, organized the gathering at the church, located on the north side of County Road 329 east of the high school.
"We wanted to have a place were everyone could get together and mourn, hug and cry," Crile said as students began gathering at the church.
Crile said her son was good friends with four of the young men.
Crile, who was obviously shaken, said her son easily could have been along for the ride with his friends.
Superintendent of Schools Jim Yancey said counselors will be made available at the school Monday, if needed.
Alainya Frauenshuh, a North Marion senior, was friends with the young men, and said they had all gone to a Trinity High School basketball game and then to a party at a friend's home.
They were celebrating Dustin "Smiley" Dawe's 19th birthday Friday night.
The FHP's Succi said troopers are investigating reports that alcohol was served at the party.
Sheedy said a memorial service for Casey is planned for 10:30 a.m. Monday in the school's gym.
"We are saying prayers for all of the boys at church," he said.
Sheedy spent part of Saturday afternoon with Casey's father, and Sheedy said the father is devastated by the loss. Casey's mother, who lives in Lake Wales, was on her way to Ocala.
RUNWAY MISCHIEF AND HISTORY
Area residents told troopers that local teens regularly sneak onto the airstrip via an entrance in a nearby, ungated subdivision.
The airstrip where the accident occurred is used by Travolta, who has a home at Jumbolair.
Jeremy Thayer, co-owner of Jumbolair Aviation Estates, said he and wife Terri Jones-Thayer were called just before 8 a.m. Saturday and told about the crash.
"We are shocked and sad for the five families," Thayer said. "It's just tragic. I have three children of my own, and I can't imagine living without one of them."
He said they did not hear anything unusual on the airstrip overnight.
"We are used to noise on the runway at night with planes landing," Thayer said. "And we have had teens out there we have had to chase off, but it's so large it's impossible to stop them all. It's a mile and a half runway, so if someone wanted to get out there they can."
Meanwhile, James Garemore, owner of Greystone Airport, says the teens did not access the airstrip through his property before driving at high speeds down the runway, according to Frank Keasler, Garemore's Jacksonville attorney.
Keasler indicated the teens must have gotten onto the airstrip from the Jumbolair side of the development.
"This does show the need for more enforcement of the Garemores' rights," Keasler said. "There's no control in Jumbolair, so we'll leave it at that. There is an obvious need for more control."
Travolta has been battling the Garemores over use of the runway for more than a year.
Travolta was thrown into the mix in 2001 when he bought land at Jumbolair with plans to build a home. Travolta claims he was assured he would be able to use the airport.
According to a federal suit, Travolta reportedly had a separate verbal agreement with the Garemores that allowed him to use the main 7,550-foot runway.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW
Florida Highway Patrol officials say it may be several days before they can piece together the facts that led to the tragic death of five young men Saturday morning. They are not releasing information on a number of key factors.
Here's what we don't know:
It's not clear whether any or all of the young men in the car wearing seat belts.
FHP officials don't know how fast the car was going.
Tests will be conducted to determine whether alcohol or any other substance played a role in the crash.
The young men reportedly were at a party where alcohol was served, but it is not yet known who provided it to those in attendance.
It's unclear how the young men got onto the airstrip and why they were there.
Was the BMW the only car on the airstrip? One witness said he saw and heard a second car, but FHP officials say there is no evidence of a second car being at the scene.
Published: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 1:23 p.m.
OCALA - Authorities are planning to arrest the daughter of Jumbolair Aviation Estates' owners. The charge: that she issued a false statement to investigators who were looking into the events that preceded the fatal crash at Greystone Airstrip.
Natalie Thayer, 20, was scheduled to turn herself in at 1 p.m. Tuesday. As of 6 p.m., her lawyers were still negotiating the terms of her arrest.
The official charge, false report to law enforcement, is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
"She made false statements about the events leading up to the crash and the incidents thereafter," Chief Assistant State Attorney Ric Ridgway said Tuesday night. He declined to elaborate.
Among the five young men killed in the high-speed crash were Thayer's boyfriend, Isaac Rubin, 20. He was one of four passengers.
Jumbolair homeowners use Greystone to fly in and out of the subdivision, whose most famous resident is John Travolta.
Thayer's parents, Jeremy and Terri Thayer, own the development, which is near Anthony.
Meanwhile Tuesday, a Marion County horse farm owner was arrested and accused of serving underage revelers during two January keg parties.
Jolane McAlister, 43, was booked into the Marion County jail at noon Tuesday and charged with six misdemeanors. The arrest comes five months after she told the Star-Banner that no alcohol was served at her gatherings.
The last party, which began on Jan. 25 and ended early the next morning, was attended by at least 100 underage partygoers, Ridgway said.
Among those attending were the five young men who died hours later.
But test results showed that four of them, including the driver, did not have alcohol in their systems.
McAlister was charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a first-degree misdemeanor that each carried a punishment up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
She was also charged with two counts each of hosting an open party and delivery of alcohol to a minor, second-degree misdemeanors each punishable by 60 days in jail and $500 fine.
Ocala attorney Laurie Hall, who represents McAlister, said she would not answer questions about the case itself.
"This is very early into the investigation in this phase of the case," Hall said. "What we have to remember is that an arrest can be made on probable cause, but that's completely different … than what needs to be proved in court with a jury of our peers."
Hall said her client will plead not guilty and fight the charges.
A LONG INVESTIGATION
Ridgway said McAlister's arrest came after 70 people were interviewed by his office, the Florida Highway Patrol and the state division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco about the events leading up to the crash.
Investigators learned several months ago that the driver, Joshua D. Ammirato, 18, and three passengers -- Jacob James Casey, James Devon Hime and Dustin J. Dawe, all age 19 -- had not been drinking.
The fifth crash victim, Rubin, had a blood alcohol content of 0.103.
''As it turns out, that party did not have anything to do with the accident,'' Ridgway said. ''But you don't know how many accidents did not happen by the grace of God because of drinking at these two events.''
Ridgway said though he knew underage drinking does happen everywhere, he did not know how rampant it was in Marion County.
Labeling underage drinking in Marion County as overt and ''blatant,'' Ridgway said many law enforcement agencies will -- and have -- increased enforcement in hopes of reducing the numbers of underage drinkers.
STEPPED UP ENFORCEMENT
And that will include Ocala Police Department, Marion County Sheriff's Office and Belleview Police Department, which concluded a weekend undercover sting at local businesses that ended with three of 19 business being cited for selling alcohol to people younger than 21, officials said.
Ocala police Sgt. Angy Scroble said that, beginning immediately, investigators, along with agents with the state Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, will be conducting stings throughout the city, especially at package stores.
And with numerous graduations coming up during the next week, officials warn adults about open parties attended by underage drinkers.
OPD has a ''zero tolerance policy in place.'' Scroble said everyone who is under the age of 21 who is caught drinking, or people hosting open parties where there are underage drinkers, will be arrested or ticketed.
Ridgway said adults need to beware.
''It's illegal to have a party involving alcohol if most of those who attend are underage,'' he said. ''You can't just set up some kegs and walk away, especially when most of those attending are underage.''
QUESTIONS ABOUT PARTY
Early this year, after it was reported that Joe and Jolane McAlister hosted a party, they talked to the Star-Banner.
At their home on a 56-acre horse farm, Tara Stables, Jolane McAlister would say little about the party and referred all questions to their lawyer, who would not comment on the incident.
She said there had been a party at her home on Jan. 25, the evening before the 3 a.m. crash. The party included her son, Colin Brennan, and a small group of his friends.
Jolane McAlister said on Jan. 27: "There was absolutely no alcohol."
"I'm very protective," she said, citing other children in the home she didn't want exposed to alcohol.
Ridgway said Joe McAlister was not charged because there was no evidence he was at home during either one of the parties, including one two weeks before the crash.
Sheriff Ed Dean said that two deputies responded to the McAlister home at 11 p.m. on Jan. 25, four hours before the crash. Authorities had received a report from a neighbor that 50 or 60 cars were driving up and down the road near the family's horse farm at 11408 N Magnolia Ave.
Dean said deputies arrived at the scene and reported finding no evidence of underage drinking at that time. The deputies were in the area for about 25 minutes and also stop one car and the driver had not been drinking, Dean said.
''The party must have gotten going after that,'' Dean said, adding that his agency will continue to look out for underage drinking and open parties.
REACTIONS
"This was the next step in the process of holding persons accountable for the tragic events of that night," said Jimmy Collins, one of two attorneys who represent the Dawe family.
"We're preparing to take steps to hold Jumbolair [Estates] responsible," he said. "We believe the arrest of Ms. Thayer supports that Jumbolair is responsible for the tragic events of that night. Jumbolair allowed access and had no security in place at all to prevent this tragic accident from occurring."
Collins said that he had just received the complete crash report late on Tuesday afternoon and had time to only glance at it. He said he could not release it to the media until he could share it with his clients.
Devon Hime's father, James, wasn't aware of the arrests early Tuesday afternoon. But he wasn't shocked to hear the news.
"So be it," he said. "If they were involved in something that broke the law, they have to pay the penalty... but it won't bring my son back."
He said dealing with the loss of his son was "only getting worst."
Looking for a great speaker for your school, event or organization? Someone who can really make a difference with teens and parents or bring a powerful message to your audience? Contact Barry Marcone of Driving Sober to Save a Life at barry@drivingsober.net, or call 352-279-4365. Presentations are at no cost to your organization.
