Of All The Rotten Luck

This kid cannot catch a break.

The hearse carrying the body of fallen soldier Jimmy Shelton was hit head on at the intersection of Penzance and Six Mile Cypress around 9 a.m.

Shelton, 21, was serving in Iraq when he was killed in an early morning attack on his camp on December 3rd.

Friends and family were in route to his funeral, which was to be held at 10 a.m., when the accident occured.

Another hearse was brought in to take Shelton’s body to the funeral

Reports say that two people in the hearse and two passengers in the other vehicle were transported to Lee Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE
Here's what happened:

The funeral processional led by deputies caused traffic in the opposite direction to slow, but a driver of a white Toyota Tundra pickup — in an attempt to miss slowing traffic ahead — swerved out and hit the hearse in a head-on collision, troopers said.

UPDATE II
This is a relief:

The Florida Highway Patrol says drivers were pulling to the side out of respect for the funeral procession.

"Unfortunately, the third vehicle in line was unable to slow in time, causing a chain reaction. That vehicle eventually went head on into the hearse," said FHP Sgt. Kelly Petracca.

You can send condolence cards to:

Burgess and Billi-Jo Shelton
6811 County Road 78 W
Alva, FL
33920

His wake was held last night, and his father's words would go right over Cindy Sheehan's head:

"He wouldn't want me to get on the news and bad mouth our president or bad mouth the reason we are fighting over there. He wouldn't want that. He would want just for us to remember the Rakkasans. Remember the 101st."

Jimmy Lee will be buried Friday in Arlington.

Since it was his wish to join the Florida Highway Patrol, the FHP are trying to award him the title of honorary trooper posthumously.

Jimmy with his mom, aunt, and cousin. Posted by floridacracker at December 13, 2005 10:58 AM