Polk City, FL: One killed and another Critically injured in crash sequence on Saturday Night, 8th November 2014

A hit-and-run driver was killed, another driver was critically injured and four other people, including three small children, were hurt Saturday night in a crash sequence that closed eastbound I-4 for nearly nine hours. The Polk County Sheriff's Office released the following account Sunday morning: Around 7 p.m., 54-year-old Rita Beaulieu of Celebration was driving a 2014 Jeep Wrangler west on I-4 about one mile west of Country Road 557 near Polk City. Beaulieu struck another vehicle and kept going. Witnesses said the Jeep continued across the median into the eastbound lanes of the interstate, where it hit 2008 Mercedes at an angle. That caused the Jeep to spin, flip and collide with a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck that was towing a trailer carrying two motorcycles. The truck then spun across several lanes of traffic. The Jeep kept going and tumbled across multiple lanes, ultimately landing on its driver's side. Beaulieu, who had been ejected during the flips, was found dead on the north side of the eastbound I-4 lanes. The truck's driver, 54-year-old Ricky Lyle Rice of Jacksonville, was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center in critical condition. “It appears the bottom of the Jeep actually impacted the front of the pick-up truck,” wrote Polk County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Donna Wood, via email. “An impression of the complete tire tread from the Jeep, was located horizontally across the front of the pick-up truck,” Wood continued. Investigators said Beaulieu had been wearing a seatbelt, but the numerous impacts caused the vehicle's frame to break in half down the middle. The driver's seat also broke, causing it to fall back and release Beaulieu from her seatbelt. The Mercedes had five occupants: driver Nawar Badeea Jaafar Blaibel, 29, of Tampa, a second adult and children ages 1, 3 and 4. All but the adult passenger, who was uninjured, were treated and released at LRMC. Also involved in the crash was a 2014 Jeep Liberty, which was struck by debris but the driver and passenger were not injured. All occupants in the crashes were wearing seat belts, the sheriff's office said. Investigators said they haven't determined whether Beaulieu was impaired by drugs or alcohol yet. A toxicology report is pending. Beaulieu’s family declined to comment to media. The crashes forced authorities to close eastbound I-4 between County Road 557 and State Road 559 until after 3 a.m., which caused major backups. Source : 1 dead, another critical after I-4 crash sequence in Polk