One dead, three others injured in 331 accident

 A Freeport woman was killed and the three others in her car, including two children, were injured as the result of a three-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 331, just north of the Clyde B. Wells Bridge, around 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Gina Dee Carter, 30, was killed. Christopher Carter, 31, the driver in the Carter vehicle, was transported in critical condition to Sacred Heart in Pensacola by air ambulance. Christopher Carter, age 2, was also transported but with minor injuries, and Isabella Carter, 7, was also sent to Pensacola with serious injuries.

According to the report filed by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Carters were in an SUV traveling south on U.S. 331. Lori-Ann Sivley, 40, also of Freeport, was northbound.

Sivley attempted to turn left onto S. Bay Grove Road in front of the Carter vehicle. The Carter vehicle attempted to steer left in an effort to avoid the Sivley car. The Carter SUV was struck in the right rear by the Sivley car.

The Carter SUV was deflected into the northbound lane where it was struck head on by a dump truck being driven Johnny Mack Roberts, 48, of DeFuniak Springs.

Roberts was listed as having "minor" injuries and Sivley was listed as having no injuries.

Traffic was tied up for at least four hours as rescue workers tried to extricate the Carters from their vehicle and then transport the injured by air ambulance.

Emergency workers from Freeport Fire, Walton County Fire and Rescue and South Walton Fire District, as well as Walton County Animal Control were called in to assist in the accident.

Walton County Sheriff's deputies were called in after about two hours to man the south side of the bridge to tell people the road was closed and allow them to turn around and reroute their travel if they so wished.

All victims in the accident were wearing seatbelts. Alcohol was listed as not a factor in the crash. Charges are pending.

WZEP 1460 AM also contributed to this report.