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Driver Dies From Injuries Received In Clay Pit Accident
January 26, 2012
A man critically injured after being pinned under a SUV deep in a clay pit Sunday night has died.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 24-year old Benjamin T. Hillard of Pensacola passed away at 1:57 p.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
The incident was reported about 7:25 p.m. Sunday in a wooded area near the intersection of Success Drive and Power Boulevard in the Central Commerce Park off Highway 29 in Cantonment.
The FHP said Hillard was off-road driving on a no-name dirt road when his SUV became stuck in the mud. The SUV rolled backwards and overturned down an embankment. Hillard was ejected as the vehicle crashed about 50 feet into the clay pit below. The Chevy Tahoe came to rest on top of Hillard, pinning him underneath.
Rescuers were able to reach Hillard by about 7:40 p.m. A rope rescue team was dispatched to assist in the removing the him from the clay pit. Hillard was removed from the clay pit and transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital as a “trauma alert” about 8:15 p.m.
The Cantonment, Molino, Brent and Osceola stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident.
Comments
50 Responses to “Driver Dies From Injuries Received In Clay Pit Accident”
Sad situation but hope several lessons have been learned here.
It’s such a beautiful Saturday morning with the cool weather and the Sun Shining, but on seeing this update I am very saddened deep in my heart, and I will have
trouble thinking of little else today.
Rest in peace young man.
To the family there are no words that will take away your pain, only time
can help a little.
Hugs during this difficult time from my family to yours and may God help
see you through.
Sorry for the familys loss.
RIP young man.
Bill and Cille,
We are so saddened and deeply hurt. I have no words that can heal your pain other than to say we love you deeply. If there is ANYTHING that we can do please call on us. We are both praying for you and all of the family.
Love,
Jeff and Sandi
We’re all praying for ya’ll!
My thoughts and prayers go out to this family on the loss of their loved one. Take comfort in knowing that God is by your side and He will help you through.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family; RIP.
Prayers for the family of this young man. As a young teen, my friends and I used to mud ride all of the time. You never think that something like this will happen to you…the youth think they are invincible. It troubles me to read comments about him being where he wasn’t supposed to be. I doubt that any one of us followed all of the “rules” when we were this age. I hope that his family can find peace…I am so very sorry for your loss.
May God be with your family through your time of greif. I am terribly sorry to hear about this young mans passing.
So sorry to hear this, prayers to all his family and friends!!
News of this young man passing saddens me greatly. I know the first responders and rescue personnel involved were pulling for him to recover, as well as hospital staff, friends and family…God bless you all for your efforts and caring. I do so wish the outcome could have been different. I know that many of us grieve for his family.
I know everyone here is sorry for your loss.
To the family of Benjamin T. Hillard (RIP) may GOD grant you peace, in this tragic time of mourning. I’m am so sorry for the lost of one so young and all that you are going through.
Very sorry for the family and friends of this young man. I have young adult sons and I can only imagine their pain.
I wanted to point out that some of the comments here were made before any details (including the name of the victim) were posted. The story is constantly updated and additional details were added. Some of the comments were posted when only the fact that an accident had happened was apparent.
Reading the story now, with the old comments, but with the updated information, can be misleading.
Again, my condolences to the family.
Sorry for your loss
I would like to apologize for my misread of the “friends comment”. My comment was inappropriate and I am sorry if I cause any more pain for any one. I hope your young friend recovers and had a long and good life. Again I am sorry.
We are praying for you B&C. We love you and hurt for you. You have so much love and support in Perdido….you are not going through this alone.
Yes, obviously he was very confused. It was worded in a clear and understandable sentence. Excatly what someone already stated, that’s how rumors start. Thank you.
To: Stephanie Dickens
I totally understand you being upset, but I think Molino Jim was confused on the wording from Witness.
Molino Jim,
The wording from Witness states “our friends just left the hospital and they said he’s making progress”
Ben was not one of the friends who left the hospital.
Just wanted to clear that up for you.
@ Molino Jim, I’m not sure what that asinine comment was supposed to mean But it certainly rubbed me the wrong way. We do not need negative comments and or sarcasm. It does not matter where the accident happened or If he wasn’t supposed to be at the location. What matters is Ben is fighting for his life right now and prayers are what he needs. If you dont have anything positive to say; opinions, thoughts, etc. just simply keep them to yourself. Because chances are you do not know all of the details. Thank you everyone for the prayers. He is going to fight thru this!
@ molino jim
The wording is ” our friends just left the hospital and they said he’s making progress”.
He didn’t say the guy who is hurt left. That’s how rumors get started.
Glad to hear he’s doing better.
WITNESS–Your friend just left the hospital????? “No brain activity–taking a few breaths on his own now and then”. Hope I’m never in that hospital.
You have so many people putting in there 2 cent quit worrying about where and what happen and put your paryers to the kid hurt !!!! I hope he gets better .We are all Praying.
It is my prayer that God will heal his family heart and give them the strength that they need to go through, and according to His will he will heal the young man’s body.
We are praying for you B&C. Who cares when, where, what or why….It was a freak accident so lets just get through this and worry about all that later. Benny boy will be ok. He is in our thoughts and prayers.
I don’t know this young man but prayers are being lifted up for him. Yes maybe he was somewhere he didn’t belong but that doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is that we pray for him that he will recover from this. Prayers are also being lifted up for his family as they keep vigil over him and the family members that can’t be here for him right now. Keep the faith and know that God is with your son and he will help you through.
Ben has alot of concerned family members that live out of state and have been keeping up with things via internet. It is very painful for them to see people playing the blame game. The only facts that are important at this juncture is that there is a very young man that is fighting for his life and a family in terrible pain that need your prayers right now, not your opinions.
Tammy Johnson
Just wanted to say I don’t know him, but I am praying for him and his family and friends. Stay strong. I speak healing in Jesus’ name. 2 Timothy 4:17
Dearest Ben and Family: A lot of people in Salisbury praying for healing and sending all of you our love and support..
REGARDING:
“if they really didn’t want people there, there would’ve been signs. Not a single no trespassing sign was up. I know its not an excuse but still.”
“POSTED BY LAW”
Folks used to put up signs saying that. That sign didn’t make the property posted, what it meant was that the Florida legislature had decided people didn’t have to spend money to put up posted signs to let people know they couldn’t treat other people’s property as their common stomping grounds and had written law to that effect. You don’t see the signs as often but they had already told you they weren’t legally needed. Unless we have written permission to be on someone else’s property, we are trespassing.
It also helped in cases of stealing. People couldn’t explain they were back of your barn because they were just out for a legal stroll because you lacked NO TRESPASSING signs and that they just happened to be carrying your valuables.
Some folks figure they can ignore any law which isn’t vigorously enforced and maybe they’re right. Sometimes they pay a heavy price for making that assumption, though.
David for the wisdom to use seat belts
and the wonder I survived my foolishness
(so far, anyway)
I was there when it happened but if they really didn’t want people there, there would’ve been signs. Not a single no trespassing sign was up. I know its not an excuse but still.
But in case anyone was wondering our friends just left the hospital and they said he’s making progress. No brain activity yet but he’s passing urine and moving a little on his own. He’s also taking a few breaths on his own every now and then. It’s a huge step from early so everyone keep praying !
Seriously, I hope the guy is okay — we had family members in similar situations but Private Property is private property! Does anyone know how much of our county’s resources were committed to the rescue operation?
just sayin—-do I really have to fence in my land, hire a guard, etc. to keep unauthorized people from hurting themselves, damaging my property and then having to defend myself from lawsuits?
Bogs and boulders in Brooklyn Alabama has a lot of hills to drive on and mud holes to drive through.
Prayin for you buddy we love you
LOVE MUDDING— One reason so much land is posted is the civil law suits that pop up after some one is hurt or killed while having “fun” on some ones property. Some folks can never take the time to ask to hunt or 4-wheel on other peoples property. I had to stop some young kids on 4-wheeler from using my drive way as a race track and guess what— a few nights later my mail box was wiped out.
Trespassing has it’s consequences.
Now Escambia County will be sued for millions because the county did not try hard enough to keep him out of there.
Wow we were there Saturday night……its about a 100 ft VERY STEEP hill…….prayers going out to you man!!!!!
Constantly thinking of him today! May God give you the strength to pull through this! We are all praying for you and the family!
My prayers are with the injured man and his family, but given the circumstances – I am amazed that the rescuers involved in this accomplished what they did!!! They certainly didn’t drive in there. They had to walk in, climb down into the pit and then get the SUV off him – with air bags or jacks they carried in? Then they got him out of the pit, carried him out and got him into the ambulance. And they did it all within the golden hour!! They all deserve some sort of special commendation!
Ben-jam-in!! We love you! You gotta pull through this, buddy!! Praying for you! xoxo.
>>>My dad works for Roads Inc. dont they own the pit?
From the property appraiser’s maps, it appears Escambia County owns the property.
My dad works for Roads Inc. dont they own the pit?
Kudos to all the Emergency First Responders !!
Praying for y Benny boy love you
escambia mom,This is located off hwy 29 at the Commerce Park, on private property, They go mud riding over there its actually a large stock pile of dirt not a pit. If you try to block it off they just drive through the holding pond fence to go around. I hope he will be ok.
Good work to our firefighters, career and volunteer. For a rapid recovery.
I hope the man in the accident is ok!! I thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family!! No they have never fenced of the land, well unlike ever other developer that has taken over ever bit of wood land that is north escambia. Growing up it was nothing for my DaD to take all the kids out on a mudding trip. Such Great Memories!! I try to take my kids and its either Wildlife management of private property! Its a shame that we now have to go off in unprotected areas for a lil excitement!! Maybe if North Escambia leaders would try and organize some land for the ones of us that enjoy stuff like that and maybe things like this wont happen!! STOP CLOSING OFF ALL THE MUDDING AREAS!!!!
I hope he will be ok.
Danger never comes to mind when you’re just having fun.
PRAYERS!!!!
Yes, 4-wheeling is fun but you should never do it alone and at night! Hope things turn out OK.
Is this the infamous “catfish pond”/borrow pit that Roads Inc. owns and never fenced in? That is accessible from the commerce park property.
I wonder what a car was doing back there? Maybe someone hunting?
How frightening! Hope he will be ok. Please keep us informed, William.