2 people airlifted to Miami in 2 weekend crashes, pedestrians struck in Marathon on Tuesday

Jan. 18--Two weekend crashes along U.S. 1 left two people injured, while an 86-year-old woman faces charges for causing two pedestrians to be struck by a car at Marathon Middle High School Tuesday, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

On Jan. 14 about 3:30 p.m., a 2008 Intel truck was headed south on U.S. 1 at mile marker 10 on Big Coppitt Key when it collided with a Honda SUV waiting to take a left turn, reports state. The Honda's driver, Stephen Edward Attis, Jr., 81, of Pompano Beach was critically injured and airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami by the county's Trauma Star helicopter.

Charges are pending, said Lt. Kathleen McKinney, who added both drivers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash and alcohol wasn't a factor.

"We have not been notified of any change in his condition," McKinney said Tuesday.

The truck driver was Jonathan Done Santanta, 32, of Miami.

Earlier the same day, a Key West scooter driver smashed into the rear of a pickup that was stopped in heavy traffic about 10:41 a.m., the FHP said.

Jack Cantres, 23, was airlifted to Ryder Trauma in Miami with serious injuries and charged with careless driving, violation of a learner's license for operating a moped and no proof of insurance. Cantres wasn't wearing a helmet or any other safety equipment, McKinney said.

Both the scooter, a 2013 Rhino Wolf CF50, and the truck, a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado, were traveling in the right lane of U.S. 1, just south of Cross Street. The scooter failed to slow and struck the pickup's tailgate and "came to a final rest in the prone position in the right lane," behind the pickup.

The pickup driver was Lynn Rennicks, 40, of Key West. Lauren Carpenter, 37, of Key West, was a passenger. Both were not injured and were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, FHP said. The pickup had about $3,000 worth of damage.

Pedestrian hit

A woman was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Tuesday after she was struck by a car while walking on Sombrero Beach Road in front of Marathon Middle High School.

The Florida Highway Patrol says Margaret Poceta, whose age and hometown weren't immediately known, was walking south on the sidewalk with Robert Hubbs, 79, of Long Key about 9:18 a.m. Ruth Schnake, 86, of Key Colony Beach was backing out of the school parking lot in a 2013 Lincioln when she revved the engine too much, lost control and struck a parked car.

That car was pushed over the curb and onto the sidewalk, striking Poceta and Hubbs. Hubbs was treated at Fishermen's Community Hospital.

Gwen Filosa: @KeyWestGwen

___

(c)2017 the Florida Keys Keynoter (Marathon, Fla.)

Visit the Florida Keys Keynoter (Marathon, Fla.) at www.keysnet.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.