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North Santa Rosa County Wreck Claims One Life
October 25, 2009
(Updated) Friends and family are mourning a Santa Rosa County man killed in a Saturday morning accident about five miles east of Jay.
Richard D. Foster, 43, of Milton, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 10:15 a.m. crash near State Road 4 and County Road 164.
Foster was driving east on Highway 4, headed up a hill, about 10:15 Saturday morning in his 1999 GMC pickup. At the top of the hill, he met a red 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Woodrow Faulkner, 39, of Milton passing a SUV and a tractor-trailer in a no-passing zone. All of the drivers involved tried to avoid a crash — Foster and the tractor-trailer rig headed off the highway and collided. Foster’s pickup burst into flames.
Foster and Faulkner, the man who reportedly caused the crash, were friends and neighbors. The FHP said charges are pending against Faulkner. Faulkner was not injured. The FHP says alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
The tractor-trailer driver, August Pace, 61, of Century, was transported to Jay Hospital with minor injuries.
The accident is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. More details will be posted as soon as they become available.
Pictured: The driver of this white pickup, Richard D. Foster, 43, was killed in a collision with this 18-wheeler driven by a Century man Saturday morning about five miles east of Jay. Photo courtesy WEAR for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
26 Responses to “North Santa Rosa County Wreck Claims One Life”
I am the Wife of Richard Derryl Foster, mine and my girls life have been a living HELL since the wreck. I don’t call it an accident, Dewayne Faulkner made a STUPID and CARELESS decission to PASS, on a HILL KNOWING he could not see. He was NOT thinking about his family let along OURS. Just thought everyone should know that he has a driving record almost TWO pages LONG of careless driving, unlawfull speed & speeding in posted zones!!! He kept haviing his court date pushed back almost a year since he killed my HUSBAND, and ALL HE GOT FOR KILLING MY HUSBAND AND MY GIRLS DADDY WAS A 1000.00 FINE AND LOST HIS LICENSE FOR 6MTHS… He has done nothing but try to hurt me and my girls since the wreck, just to try to make himself look like the VICTOM. My husband had a perfect driving record, where is the JUSTICE in this??? There was NONE AT ALL. Me and my husband were HIGH SCHOOL SWEET HEARTS, married for 20 wonderful years, together for 27, he was my soul mate and the BEST DAD EVER. We have to go on because we have NO choice and some people say that Dewayne has to live with what he done too, Well I HOPE HE DOES, I PRAY HE SEES MY DERRYLS FACE EVERY NIGHT BEFORE HE GOES TO SLEEP…. He will never KNOW the HELL HE has put US thru.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. PLEASE DON’T PASS JUDGEMENT ON THE OTHERS THAT WERE INVOLVED. THIS WAS AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT. WE HAVE INCLUDED THE FAULKNER FAMILY WITH OURS AND WE PRAY FOR ALL INVOLVED INCLUDING THE PEOPLE PASSING BY. THANK YOU TO THE CARING PEOPLE THAT STOPPED WITH OUR FAMILY AT THE SCENE, THE FOOD, CARDS, AND SPECIAL PRAYERS.
PLEASE GATHER WITH OUR FAMILY AND PRAY FOR ALL INVOLVED.
no “Pray for all” I’m sure he didn’t think he was going to kill his freind. It sounds like he wasn’t thinking at all, he was too worried about getting to wherever he was getting to care about anything.
I was on scene right after the accident, and said a quick prayer for everyone involved as I was detouring. How many of you actually saw the pickup setting by the gravel trailer? I did. It was a very tragic accident. My thoughts and prayers still go out to everyone involved. But remember, he who is without sin himself should cast the first stone. We are not God and should not judge. Everyone involved has families and the families deserve our respect no matter what our personal feelings as this was an ACCIDENT.
Mr. Pace glad to see that you are ok. Children attended Northview with Todd. Our prayers are with you.
COME ON people do you think that this man thought that he was going to kill his friend and neighbor when he did this. I could see how up set this man was on T.V. I understand that the neighborhood where these men live are very good to each other. I do not see any bad comments from them. Let these familys get thru this. It is a little bit different when you get in a car drink and drive. I know my child was hit by a drunk repeat DUI man 15 years ago. He knew what he was doing He had no insurance or licences at the time. The state trooper was wonderful.
These are two families that have been long time friends and neighbors. These men’s wives were raised within a stones throw of each other. The tragic event that happened on Saturday will not change that. They will lean on each others strength during this time and will all come out of this with a renewed love for their family and friends. These are two families that are changed forever and that is that. Though deeply hurt and distraught I do not feel the families will turn on each other as it appears some on this site would like. This is a small community and they know all to well the affects of tragic events on young families and once again after many tears and much hurt will come out the other side of this an even more amazing group of people with their unwavering faith and a new love for both their friends and families. Let’s all be there when they need us and support an amazing community and these two families during their healing process.
Well said Just looking at Reality, people need to be responsible for their actions. I also went to school with Foster’s daughters and I can’t imagine the horrible pain that they must be going through at this time. Where was the other driver in such a hurry to that he just had to pass to cars on a hill in a no passing zone. He should have been arrested right then. Pending charges is bull.
This is a repeated habit these days with people passing illegally. Something has to be done and they need to be accountable for these judgments. They may not purposely intended to harm or kill someone but they didn’t take concern for others when the choice was made. My prayers honour to the family.
to tyanne: in regards to your post: …’ My heart also goes out to the “friend&neighbor” who caused the wreck,because he will have to live w/this the rest of his life..so I don’t think torment by others is necissary. His life is as well changed forever….’
My heart and my concerns are with the people who HE was responsible for changing their lives forever. He was the cause of the wreck through nothing but careless driving and a lack of concern for himself and everyone else that was on the road around him. TORMENT BY OTHERS?????- how about holding individuals responsible for their actions? When did that go out of style? My father-in-law drives the roads in that area day in and day out, it is what puts food on his table and clothing on the family members he supports. He has a spotless driving record and now he is having to deal with the emotional impact of what some thoughtless, careless, reckless individual brought into his life. The only part of your post I agree with is the fact that the man who caused the accident will have his life changed forever… but bragging that he is alive to still enjoy his life and possibly see changes seems to be in poor taste. He was the one who took the life of another person and it is my hope that he is held accountable. If the others are well advised he might be held accountable and pay restitution as well. So if you are PUTTING THINGS IN GODS HANDS- instead of asking for divine intervention to aid an irresponsible individual I think your prayers would be better spent with the victims of this individuals thoughtless deeds- the victims are the ones who need all the help they can get right now- definitely not the perpetrator who caused all of the pain and agony!
I was just dumbfounded as to how this man wasn’t arrested at the time and on the scene- WOW- you kill someone with your vehicle and you don’t even go to jail in Escambia County?- now what’s wrong with that picture? Faulkner was clearly at fault- why wasn’t he arrested on the scene? That is just craziness- glad I don’t have to drive the streets there, how frightening is it to know someone is capable of using their car as a killing machine and is still walking free-
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends in this difficult time.
There has been too many fatal wrecks in north Escambia lately. I would love for FHP to send every trooper in the county to north Escambia and end this mess. People complain about getting tickets but who cares when it saves a life. So please FHP, come to north Escambia in numbers with a “go get em” attitude and lets start preventing some deaths.
I think people should read their drivers manuals once again just to get a “refresher course” in what the double and single lines mean.
My heart goes out to the family. me and my family(mainly younger siblings)went to school with his daughters. And we are all deeply saddend by this news over here in tx. My heart also goes out to the “friend&neighbor” who caused the wreck,because he will have to live w/this the rest of his life..so I don’t think torment by others is necissary. His life is as well changed forever. This is a hard lesson that just goes to show you how simple following the rules can be compared to how tragic it can end up if you don’t. To the fosters the olsen family have yall in our thoughts and prayers,we wish there is somthing we could do to ease the pain but we know its just not possible,its in gods hands. We love yall.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the families involved. There is just one thing I don’t understand as I read a lot of these comments here and other stories. The FHP seem to get a lot of the blame. I would say most people follow the law as long as there is a FHP officer near by, but when the police are no where to be seen, I see people break all kind of traffic laws. I just don’t see blaming the FHP in a lot of these irresponsiable people breaking traffic laws, the FHP can not be everywhere, yes they may be able to give out more traffic tickets, but that doen’t stop some people from driving bad. I was involved in a traffic accident with a drunk driver and that was his fifth accident with a DUI, yes he did lose his licenses for about 6 months, but got them back long enought to get a good insurance company to sell him insurance , get drunk over 4 times over the limit and just about finish my life, but it hurt me in many other ways. He also messed up many more as there was 4 vehicles involved. Sorry about getting into all that personel stuff, but triing to make a point, I believe the police do try to get these traffic offenders, it is just that some people just don’t care or there just in a big hurry now days, many different reasons. Again my families thoughts and prayers go out to all the families involved in this addident. MAY GOD BLESS
What a tragic happening. All because someone was in such a hurry to get somewhere, Knowing you have ended a precious life and that you even know the person is a terrible burden to bear but there are consequences for actions. Our prayers are with the Foster family.
People, those yellow lines on the highway are there for a reason and have a definite meaning. I had a young lady pass me Friday about 10:30 AM on highway 31, double yellow lines (I was actually doing about 5 MPH over the speed) she couldn’t wait 30-45 seconds to get over the hill to where she would have a passing zone. If you don’t know why the lines are there or what they mean, do everyone a favor and sale your vehicle and turn you drivers license in, you don’t need to be driving.
Im shocked! My heart and prayers go out to the Foster family. I knew them well…this is heartbreaking. Someone had to lose a life because another person can’t follow rules on the road!! This is upsetting on many different levels!
RIP Mr. Foster. You will never be forgotten!
How many people have to die before the laws are obeyed? Our family is saddened by this , and our thoughts and prayers go out to the Foster family..
It is heart wrenching to read of yet another death caused by nothing more than a lack of concern for others safety, let alone his own. After reading incident after incident over the years of the loss of life, one would think Florida Highway Patrol would start taking these careless drivers more serious and throwing the book at them. In addition to being held responsible for the loss of life that Faulkner caused, he should also be held accountable for the damage to everyone involved.
Had the tractor trailer driver not been an experienced over-the-road operator no telling how many others might have been killed. Florida Highway Patrol needs to start making an example out of individuals like this. 10:15AM on a Saturday morning, passing in a no passing zone- lets just think about it: what could this man be in such a hurry for that could possibly justify taking the life of one man and damaging so many others.
The families of all parties involved will be effected by the careless actions of this one individual. When the punishment starts fitting the crime, these thoughtless individuals will start to understand how their reckless actions reek havoc on other’s lives. Manslaughter and all of the expenses involved in caring for Foster’s family; in addition to loss wage of the tractor trailer driver and any loss experienced from the SUV operator should all be considered when the charges are filed against Faulkner
Traffic laws exist for a reason!
Faulkner should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
My prayers go to the family of the innocent victim.
sounds like yet another innocent person lost their life because of someone passing where they should not have been…or at least when it wasnt safe. When will people ever slow down and not be in such a rush?? Shame. Prayers to the victims family. Such a totally senselss loss of life!
my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends he was a good friend of mine and he will be missed dearly.
My Prayer to all the family and friends.
We lost a great father, brother, son, uncle and friend. Prayers to the family.
This is a tragic end to a father, son, uncle, and friend’s life. We all need to take a moment and tell all those we love and all those that love us how much they mean to us. We are not promised tomorrow. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.