By Frank Lewis
Area family members are reporting by social media the conditions of a Minford couple severely injured when a pickup crashed into an RV in Frostproof, Florida. According to a story in the Tampa (Florida) Tribune, dated Nov. 4, 2015, a 2015 Ford F-150 pickup truck, operated by Benjamin Hammonds, 31, of North Charleston, South Carolina, crashed into a 2015 Fleetwood RV driven by Paul Oberley, 80, of Minford that was stopped in the southbound outside lane. The Tribune story reported the RV was towing a 2015 Fiat at the time.
The story went on to say the crash took place at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and U.S. Highway 98, and the Hammonds vehicle, which was northbound on U.S. 27, for unknown reasons abruptly turned left, cutting across the median and into the southbound lanes, striking the Oberley RV.
According to the Tribune story – Oberly and his passenger, Martha Oberley, 58, were taken to Tampa General Hospital, deputies said. Martha Oberley received burns to 60 percent of her body and is in extremely critical condition. Paul Oberley is in stable condition and is expected to recover, deputies said.
A Tampa General Hospital spokeswoman told the Daily Times Friday, there were no patients by those names. However, family members are reporting the two are at the hospital and Martha Oberley is in stable but critical condition, while Paul Oberley is improving.
Hammonds was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, where he was discharged, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Driver impairment does not appear to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation, Polk County Sheriff’s deputies said.
Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.
