Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 1

ML IT, 2004 (J! HOMICIDE Police identify two people found dead in a car as Jamila INVESTIGATION: A. Byers, a FAMU student, and Bryan K. Dyson Local state IB 3 www.TALLAHASSEE.com 'It's the worst thing I've ever seen in my life' Storm spawns killer twister tc'" 11 By Gerald Ensley DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER BLOUNTSTOWN It was over in 10 seconds. That's all the time it took for a Hurricane Ivan-spawned tornado to kill four people and i- W-. 7 Melvin Terry, 55, and his daughter, Donna Faye Terry-Read, 35.

The Marshalls' bodies were discovered 100 yards from their home, across County Road 69A where the wreckage of their home was deposited. Terry and his daughter were found in the debris of their destroyed home. Both homes seemed to have exploded from the winds of the tornado. Frances Terry, Melvin's wife and Donna's mother, was found alive and taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where she was reported to be in critical condition Thursday evening. Another couple, Don and Betty Hodges, were briefly trapped in their mobile home on a hill adjacent to the Marshalls and Terrys, but they managed to escape through a window and drive to the home of relatives in Blountstown grateful to have survived the tornado's ferocity.

"My Aunt Betty said it was over in 10 seconds," said Hodges' nephew, Steve Mears, as leave a hfth in critical condition Wednesday night in a rural area five miles north of Blountstown. The twister, ripping along at an estimated 50 mph, cut a swath several hundred yards wide across Calhoun County Road 69A, causing minor to serious damage to about 20 homes and 9 A STORM SEASON 2004 destroying the three mobile homes where the victims lived. "I've been here 25 years, and we've never had anything like this," Calhoun County Sheriff David Tatum said. Killed were James "BulF Marshall, 41, and Mary Lee Marshall, 37, a married pair of correctional officers at Calhoun Correctional Institution, as well as their neighbors James CARRIE NILAND Democrat Sheila Webb looks through the remains of her uncle's Blountstown home. James and Mary Lee Marshall were killed when a tornado destroyed their mobile home Wednesday night.

Please see TWISTER, 2A torn tetters beaches and for IbeyoiiM "I -A Si, If, Y. lv--- Y- -4 YY Xt tY-. i. i j. i.

By Gary Fineout and Martin Merzer KNIGHT RIDOER NEWSPAPERS PENSACOLA Twenty-two people died and thousands begged for help. Countless buildings were crushed or damaged, many by a roaring swarm of tornadoes. The Gulf of Mexico swept away beachfront homes and invaded downtown Pensacola. Hurricane Ivan slowly loosened its grip Thursday on the Gulf Coast, revealing a vista of sprawling destruction. The storm's core punched the coast in Alabama but delivered its worst blows to an already-battered Florida.

Hundreds of homes in the Florida Panhandle were damaged by at least 12 tornadoes, hundreds more were de-roofed by Ivan's powerful winds, and many others along the coast were swamped by its 10- to 16-foot storm surge, topped by thunderous waves. At least 443,000 homes and businesses in 12 Panhandle counties lost power while 26,000 people spent the night in shelters. More than 1 million in other states were without electricity. Most people in Pensacola and the rest of hardest-hit Escambia County also were without water, telephones or even reliable sewer service. "It's the worst thing I've ever seen in my life," Escambia County Sheriff Ron McNesby said.

"It's not as bad as Andrew, but it's a bad hurricane." Damage assessments were inhibited by the storm's slow retreat and blocked roads, but some insurance experts issued estimates of $3 billion to $10 billion. A 30-foot section of a bridge along Interstate 10 in Florida crumbled and fell into Escambia Bay, delaying desperately needed aid. The trailer portion of a tractor-trailer rested at the edge of the void, the tractor portion gone, the driver's fate unknown. Said Florida Gov. Jeb Bush: "Sadly, I think there will be more loss of life." He said 2,000 National Guard troops were en route to Pensacola, as were search-and-rescue teams.

"Help is on the way," Bush said. Authorities said the storm killed at least 14 people in the Panhandle, including four who died when a twister ripped into a MICHAEL DEMOCKER The Associated Press A truck with its driver missing Is seen on the washed-out section of the eastbound Interstate 10 bridge over Escambia Bay after Hurricane Ivan knocked out the section Thursday. The fate of the driver Is not known. wore inside Pockets of destruction found all over our area 'ri Yf By James Rosica and Diane Hirth DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITERS Ravenous Hurricane Ivan gobbled up to 10 feet of beach at Cape San Bias in Gulf County, causing the collapse of two homes and threatening condominiums. One green house was a jumble of walls, roofing, wooden pilings and concrete chunks.

Scattered among the wreckage was a rattan chair and a green bicycle. Right next door, at a pink house, the part facing the Gulf had fallen down, but the other half was still standing. A mattress stuck up out of the debris. Nearby, a section of condos was in danger of plunging into the 1 i Tornado injures five in the Marianna area. 2A i Damage to roads slows help after Ivan.

3A i From Panama City to Pensacola, devastation reigns. 4A i Full page of photographs. 5A i Jeanne strengthens after hitting Dominican Republic hard. 6A i Storm surge responsible for much of the damage. 8A i FSU's storm truck is still in the shop.

IB i Blountstown assistant coach's home suffers damage to roof, trees in tornado; some games postponed. 1C i Oil prices rise with calmer seas. IE 4, 1 MIKE EWEN Democrat Storm surge from Hurricane Ivan demolished these two Gulf-front homes at Cape San Bias. Please see COASTAL, 2A Please see IVAN, 4A INDEX BUSINESS Six sections Todav: hiPh 80s LU (75 DELIVERY 1-80O999-2271 NEWSROOM 599-2170 ADVERTISING 5993331 OTHER NUMBERS Page 2B Tonight: high 60s 13.13 300 Crossword 29D 2A Rain" 40 500 3.13 Bridge. 310 Editorials 4E Obituaries 5B Wsathnr 1(V NASDAQ 7.56 Classifieds IF Horoscope 5F Outdoors 8C VVeainer, iwju rm-.

oan nmslioht Rnnrt 1C 124091 Details on page 3E 2B LocalState IB Television 260 Corrections mm Copyright 2004 TaltahauM Democrat Inc..