100-year-old is killed after his daughter crashed into two cars stopped to let family of birds cross

100-year-old man is killed in Florida after his daughter crashes her van into the back of two cars stopped on a busy road to let a family of birds cross

  • Centurion Robert Schantz was killed in the nasty crash on Sunday morning
  • Two motorists had stopped on a road in Brevard County to let a bird family cross
  • Schantz’s daughter, Suzanne Clarke – who is paraplegic – was driving her specially adapted car in a different lane when she collided with the cars
  • Investigators say she spotted the birds crossing the road and attempted to swerve out of the way but crashed into the back of the stationary motorists
  • Schantz suffered serious a severe leg trauma and later died in hospital 

A 100-year-old man died on Sunday morning after the car he was being chaperoned in collided with two stationary vehicles who had both stopped to allow a family of birds to cross, The Florida Highway Patrol revealed.

A BMW and Toyota were said to have been stopped in the left lane of Wickham Road, in Brevard County, to let a group of sandhill cranes cross when 39-year-old Suzanne Clarke crashed into the back of them.

According to authorities, Clark – who is paraplegic – was driving in the parallel lane when she spotted the birds crossing last-minute and attempted to swerve out of the way.

Veering into the left hand lane, she inadvertently crashed her specially adapted Chrysler into the two stationary cars.

Clark’s passenger, her 100-year-old father father Robert Schantz, suffered serious injuries in the crash, including a severe leg trauma. 

He was rushed to Holmes Regional Medical Center where he later died.

A BMW and Toyota were said to have been stopped in the left lane of Wickham Road (above), in Brevard County, to let a group of sandhill cranes cross the road, when 39-year-old Suzanne Clarke crashed into the back of them

Clark and the driver of the BMW, 63-year-old Brian Giantonio, were also badly hurt in the collision.

Deliece White, 63, who had been driving the Toyota only suffered minor injuries, officials say.

None of the sandhill cranes were said to have been hurt in the accident (file photo)

None of the sandhill cranes were said to have been hurt in the accident (file photo)

All three of the drivers were taken to Health First Viera Hospital and treated for their injuries.

Doctors say they expect all of three of them to make a full recovery.

‘In my 25 years, I’ve heard of people stopping for turtles or cows, but I’ve never seen this, a fatality involving Sandhill cranes,’ said Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant. Kim Montes to Florida Today.

Montes said her department is conducting a full investigation into the crash.

She added that none of the cranes were hurt in the incident.

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk