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Deputy's Radio Calls Show Chaos, Carnage Of I-4 Wreck

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By KEITH MORELLI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 13, 2008

TAMPA - Polk County sheriff's Deputy Jack "Carlton" Turner's voice over the department radio betrayed the horrifying scope of disaster unfolding around him on Interstate 4.

"I'm having vehicles exploding all around me at this time," he said frantically near the end of the transmission recorded that morning and released by the sheriff's office Friday.

It started as a routine call to respond to a wreck, but as Turner pulled up to the fog and smoke-shrouded scene, the routine quickly became chaos. Turner's patrol car was struck from behind.

"There is zero visibility out here," he told dispatchers. "There must be 20 to 25 cars out here."

The worst was beyond Turner's range of vision, but he could hear some of what was going on.

"I can still hear cars hitting each other," Turner radioed. "I'm still hearing cars impacting. I've heard approximately 30 impacts so far, 32, 33,"

The deputy only saw and heard part of the pileup, which killed four people and injured dozens. About 70 vehicles were damaged. The cause remains under investigation but fog - and possibly smoke from a nearby out-of-control brush fire - were contributing factors.

"I can't see anything," Turner said. "All I hear is people just constantly hitting each other. I'm standing by my vehicle. I don't want to get struck by an oncoming vehicle. There's at least 50 cars out here."

The pileup occurred just before 5 a.m. Wednesday on a stretch of interstate near Polk City.

The four killed in the pileup all died in vehicles that caught fire. Thirty-eight people were taken to five hospitals in the region. Five suffered serious injuries.

"I'm being advised there's also a semi Signal 25, unknown if occupant is still inside," Turner said. Signal 25 is the police radio code for fire. "I have several vehicles on fire."

Through it all, the deputy attempted to restore some semblance of order and help victims.

"I have approximately four vehicles surrounding my patrol car that are all Signal 25," he said. "... Trying to locate as many drivers as I can."

Turner has spent the subsequent days recuperating at home from minor injuries. He is scheduled to talk about his ordeal at a news conference Monday.

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

Keyword: Crash, to listen to the deputy's radio transmissions.

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