Associated Press
DONA VISTA, Fla. — A man allegedly drag racing on a highway at more than 100 mph slammed into the back of another car, killing two people — one of them his own mother, who was taking an elderly friend for a drive to look at the Christmas lights.
When 21-year-old Dwight Samples realized it was his mother’s car he hit Wednesday night, he asked emergency workers to tend to her first, witnesses said.
Diane Samples, 45, and her passenger, 72-year-old Vivian Green, died at the scene.
"It’s bizarre. His mom was doing an act of kindness taking this lady around to see Christmas lights," said Lt. Chuck Williams, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. "You think the probabilities for a phenomenon like this are, wow."
Samples was in stable condition after surgery Thursday after his head went through the windshield of his Ford Mustang.
No immediate charges were filed as authorities continued to investigate the crash. Authorities said there was no indication that Samples was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Police said Samples was driving on a two-lane road when he rear-ended his mother’s car. Witnesses said he appeared to be drag racing with another car. He was believed to be going 100 mph to 120 mph.
Authorities searched for the driver of the care he was racing, another Ford Mustang.
Highway Patrol records show Samples had been stopped for speeding four times in the past four years, including once for driving 85 mph in a 55 mph zone. He had owned his car for less than two weeks.
A neighbor at the trailer park where mother and son lived in separate trailers said the two were very close.
"This poor kid is probably going through hell right now," Susan Schmidt said. "It was a one-in-a-trillion thing."
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