Woman details moment she witnessed fiery crash that killed 5

A witness details the moment she saw the crash that took five lives. The crash happened at US-41 and Williams Road intersection in Estero Wednesday night.

Florida Highway Patrol said an SUV turned into the path of a motorcycle. Both vehicles burst into flames.

Witness Kari Dineen said it all happened in minutes. She says the car and motorcycle went flying after making an impact, and shortly after that, there were two explosions. She said there was just no time to help.

“I had stopped at the light, and it was my turn to turn, and I just had paused to change my music, so I just waited a little bit longer than I should have,” Dineen said.

Dineen looked up. She took her foot off the brake…

“I saw this car turn right in front of me, going in the opposite lane, and the motorcycle colliding with it. They immediately shot up in the air, both like the motor-motorcycle and the car, and it flipped,” Dineen said.

She stopped her car.

“As soon as they hit the ground, part of the car just caught on fire,” Dineen said.

Dineen said she heard an explosion, and drivers around, including herself, did not hesitate to try to help.

“I was running to the car, and I was trying to see if there were anybody inside. I heard screams,” Dineen said.

But the minute she got there…

“There was another explosion. It was apparent that there were no survivors,” Dineen said.

She said that is when people began searching for the motorcyclist in hopes he had survived.

“The only thing that they saw was his helmet, and it was apparent to me that he did, unfortunately, fly into the car when they collided, so he was in the fire as well,” Dineen said.

FHP is still investigating this crash.

FHP hasn’t identified all the victims yet, but the general manager of the Copperleaf golf community told WINK News the four women in the SUV were members there.

Malachi Parker, the young man on the motorcycle, was on his way home from church.