Georgia children hurt in Fla. crash

MARIETTA — Eight Marietta residents were injured, three of them seriously, in a two-vehicle crash in Jacksonville, Florida, on Thursday.

Six of the injured were children, with two of them suffering serious injuries, according to authorities. All six of the children, who ranged in age from 8 to 14, were enrolled in Cobb County schools, the district confirmed Friday.

The crash occurred on State Route 202/State Route 115 westbound at about 1:35 p.m. when a 2003 GMC Sierra truck attempting to change lanes struck a 2003 Cadillac Escalade driven by 35-yearold Rosalio Duenas of Marietta. The impact sent the Escalade toward the right shoulder and into a light pole, causing it to roll over, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

Of the eight individuals in the Escalade, all of whom were from Marietta, suffering serious injuries were 32-year-old Sarai Martinez, 9-year-old Amy Duenas and 8-year-old Christian Martinez. None of the three were wearing seat belts, according to the report. Amy Duenas attends Bryant Elementary in Mableton, while Christian Martinez is a thirdgrader at Green Acres Elementary in Smyrna.

Three of the four other children in the vehicle — 14-year-old Christopher Duenas, a freshman at Pebblebrook High; 10-year-old Johan Duenas, a fifth-grader at Bryant Elementary; and 9-year-old Anyi Nicole Martinez, a fourth-grader at Green Acres — were also not wearing seat belts but were reported to have minor injuries.

Rosalio Duenas and 13-year-old Yasmin Barahona, a sixth-grader at Campbell Middle, were wearing their seat belts and suffered minor injuries.

All eight from the Escalade were taken to University of Florida Health Jacksonville.

The Sierra’s driver, Sergio Flores, 21, of Aurora, Illinois, was not injured but was cited for careless driving and operating with a suspended, canceled or revoked driver’s license, according to the police report.

Jon Gargis, Marietta Daily Journal