Florida family dies after car crashes into disabled semi

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A Florida family of five were all killed when their car drifted into the back of a disabled tractor trailer on the shoulder of a highway.

Police say Nathan E. Russell, 37, was driving a white rental Chrysler 200 on Interstate 75 near Gainesville early Sunday morning. He was killed along with his wife, Lynda, 35, and their three children, La'Nyah N. Russell, 15, and twins Natayah and Nathan Jr., both 10.

Authorities said 'driver fatigue' may have played a role in the horrific crash.  

A family of five was killed when their rental car drifted out of lane and into the back of a disabled semi in Florida. Killed were (top left clockwise) Lynda Russell, Nathan Russell, Nataya, 10, La'Nyah, 15, and Nathan Jr., 10

A family of five was killed when their rental car drifted out of lane and into the back of a disabled semi in Florida. Killed were (top left clockwise) Lynda Russell, Nathan Russell, Nataya, 10, La'Nyah, 15, and Nathan Jr., 10

The family was driving back from Georgia and the father, who was driving, may have become fatigued before the crash, said police The family was driving back from Georgia and the father, who was driving, may have become fatigued before the crash, said police

The family was driving back from Georgia and the father, who was driving, may have become fatigued before the crash, said police 

Nathan Jr. originally survived the crash but succumbed to his injuries 12 hours later, according to 11 Alive. Only Natayah was wearing a seatbelt, said police.

The family was driving back from Georgia, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help with funeral costs.

'To lose one person is unbearable imagine losing five all at once,' said the administrator, Caroline Petitdor, who set up the fund on behalf of a family member. 

'I'm trying to grasp how to deal with losing a cousin and a friend in the same day at the same time,' wrote cousin Nicole Narae on Facebook. 'Our hearts are broken. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Sleep in peace... So unreal to me right now.'

'Our hearts are broken' said a family member on Facebook, who called the Russell family deaths 'unreal'

'Our hearts are broken' said a family member on Facebook, who called the Russell family deaths 'unreal'

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Authorities said the accident was possibly due to driver fatigue.

'What we believe is that it was possibly driver fatigue. That's what the thinking is right now,'  FHP Lt. Patrick Riordan told The Gainesville Sun. 'A lot of people are taking road trips now with spring breaks. Maybe that's what they were doing.'

The driver of the disabled tractor trailer was not injured. 

 

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