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Truck Hits 4 Cars On Hillsborough Ave., Kills Woman

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By Keith Morelli and Valerie Kalfrin of The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 4, 2007

Updated: 12/04/2007 04:43 pm

TAMPA - TAMPA - Photos: The Scene | Video: Witnesses' Description

By VALERIE KALFRIN and KEITH MORELLI

The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA Tanya Ellis and her fiancé shared their last ride to work this morning.

Shortly before 6 a.m., Ellis and Eugene Eichorn hopped into a white Toyota Corolla and left their home on 1508 E. Genessee St. They had worked together at a road construction company for roughly two years, she flagging drivers toward detours and he putting up barriers for road work, a supervisor said.

They were eastbound on Hillsborough Avenue, stopped at North 30th Street, when a truck from Quality Roofing of Florida slammed into the Corolla's rear, Tampa police said. The roofer, who suffered from a medical condition, smashed into three other vehicles on East Hillsborough Avenue before crashing both the Corolla and the truck into potted plants at a farmers' market, police said.

Ellis, 22, who was driving, was killed. Eichorn, 27, was being treated at Tampa General Hospital, as was the roofer, 49-year-old Wensley Belfoor, of 119 Bush Lane, Tampa, police said.

The state attorney's office is reviewing possible charges against him, police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said.

None of the other motorists was injured, Davis said. She did not have the identities of the other motorists as of 4 p.m. today.

Co-workers of Ellis and Eichorn at the road-construction company, Traffic Control Products of Tampa, were upset upon hearing of the crash.

"They're very sad about it," supervisor Jeanne DeMarco said, crying. "We're all close."

Ellis, who also helped around the shop by maintaining the paint supplies for striping roads, had a sparkling sense of humor, DeMarco said. "They always made me laugh," she said of Ellis and Eichorn. "She was very outgoing. She was a very happy person."

Police did not elaborate on Belfoor's medical condition but Richard Jenkins, who owns of the roofing company, said Belfoor suffers from diabetes. "He's a good guy," Jenkins said. "I feel terrible about this."

Police said several 911 calls came in between 5:58 and 6:03 a.m. to report the white Ford F-250 swerving and hitting vehicles along East Hillsborough Avenue. The truck first struck a vehicle at Lee Place, then one at Central Avenue, then another at North 22nd Street before striking the Corolla at North 30th Street, police said.

Michael Perry, who owns the Dallas Bull nightclub east of Tampa, was westbound when the collision at North 30th Street occurred.

"I was looking forward at the light when I saw the truck pushing this car," he said, standing about 30 yards from the two crumpled vehicles. "I said, 'That guy just hit that girl.' I could tell it was a girl because I saw her hair."

Davis did not know how fast Belfoor was traveling but said the 911 callers reported the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed.

"He had to be flying," Perry said. "The tires were smoking."

Lelo Lucas was working at a produce stand at the farmers' market when he saw another driver keep the roofer from exiting the truck.

"He tried to get out, and the other guy told him not to move," Lucas said.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com. Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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