Witness says she pulled toddler from car

Published 7:22 pm Wednesday, April 26, 2006

By By KERRY WHIPPLE BEAN – Publisher
Marie Harris knew she had to act fast.
After she and her daughter Charlene Wilson watched a car wreck on Appleton Road near Wilson's house, Harris had one mission.
The toddler, along with the driver and a baby in the back seat of the car, were injured Tuesday afternoon in the one-vehicle accident about 5 miles north of Brewton.
All three were transported to D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital for treatment. The baby, who was in the back seat, did not appear to be injured badly.
Wilson and her mother were standing in Wilson's yard when they heard the crunch from the accident.
The car was a 1994 teal Dodge Shadow driven by Teena Lydia Louise Lee, 20, of Castleberry, according to reports, and passengers included 2-year-old Michael Porter, who was in the front seat, and 10-month-old Isaiah Porter, who was in the back seat. The relationship among the three is not known.
Law enforcement officers at the scene said Lee, who told them she was wearing a seatbelt, hit the windshield on the passenger side. The infant in the back seat was in a child restraint.
Wilson said she and her mother could smell gas and wanted to get the children out of the car as quickly as possible.
Barbara Wilson, who lives down the street on Appleton Road, said she calls the stretch of highway the &#8220Appleton speedway” because drivers tend to ignore the 55-mph speed limit.
The Appleton Volunteer Fire Department, Alabama State Troopers, Escambia County Sheriff's Department and Escambia County Rescue Squad responded to the accident.
Trooper Ben Roe said Lee, who was traveling north on Appleton Road, told law enforcement officers she swerved to avoid an SUV that veered into her lane.

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