Boat ends up in truck bed after crash

By Stephenie Livingston, Reporter

July 10, 2009 12:57 pm

— A Branford man ended up with a boat in the bed of his pickup after a Lake City crash yesterday.
James Greg Odom, 49, was eastbound on CR 242 pulling a trailered 24-foot boat behind his 1998 Chevrolet Silverado pickup at about 5:15 p.m. as he approached the intersection of SW Dyal Road. Another pickup, northbound on Dyal, failed to yield at the intersection, according to Florida Highway Patrol reports.
Odom’s pickup struck the left rear side of a 1981 Ford pickup driven by Ricky E. Ratliff, 49, of Lake City, said FHP. Ratliff’s vehicle rotated counter-clockwise and came to rest on the east shoulder of CR 341, facing southwest. Odom's truck slid onto the north shoulder of CR 242 and the boat landed in the bed of Odom's pickup.
Both Odom and Ratliff received minor injuries. Ratliff was transported to Lake City Medical Center. Ratliff’s passenger, Kristina Edwards, 33, suffered minor injuries and was transported to Lake Shore Hospital, Lake City. Odom’s passenger, Lorie Podolski, 45. of Gainesville, was unhurt.
Ratliff was charged with failure to yield at an intersection, said FHP.