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Identifying Victims Of Wrecks Will Take Time

News Channel 8 image by PETER MASA.

Four people died in the massive pileup on Interstate 4 Wednesday morning.

By BILLY TOWNSEND, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 11, 2008

Updated: 01/11/2008 12:11 am

LAKELAND - The Polk County Medical Examiner's Office urged patience as it works to identify the badly burned bodies of the four people killed in Wednesday morning's fiery pileup on Interstate 4.

Some of the 43 vehicles involved in the main part of the crash caught fire. So little remains of the victims that investigators could not determine which sex some were, said Stephen Nelson, medical examiner for Polk, Highland and Hardee counties.

All are thought to be adults.

Nelson said he could not predict when identification would be made.

One of the victims has been named by his family and employer as Darren Scott Snyder, a newlywed maintenance worker at Disney's Animal Kingdom. They based their identification, in part, on the discovery of a body in car like his - a red Mustang.

Official sources said Thursday they could not confirm the identities of any victims.

Thirty-eight people were injured in the crash. The names of those most seriously hurt were not released Thursday.

All four of the fatalities are thought to be drivers, said Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Larry Coggins.

"We know where the deceased were," Coggins said.

That's not the same, though, as identifying victims conclusively.

Coggins and Nelson said medical records will be needed to make positive identification. They have been in touch with relatives and medical professionals connected to people they have developed leads on, Nelson said.

Reporter Billy Townsend can be reached at (863) 284-1409 or wtownsend@tampatrib.com.

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Identifying Victims Of Wrecks Will Take Time