Tragedy struck a Pace, Fla. family as they traveled south on I-65, when a three-vehicle crash left two children dead, one of which was an infant.

According to Sgt. Tommy Waters with the Alabama State Trooper Post in Evergreen, the accident occurred at approximately 5:27 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 26.

Jolene Colone, 23, of Pace, Fla. was driving south on I-65 in a 2002 Daewoo.

For some unknown reason, Colone crossed the median and struck two vehicles in the northbound lane.

Waters said that William R. Kloss, 4, and Charity Thorn, 7 months, Colone's children, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The mother wasn’t seriously injured.

The first vehicle that Colone’s vehicle struck was a 2001 Ford driven by James Griffin of Gainesville, Ga.

He was not injured.

The second vehicle struck was a 2004 Toyota driven by Dale Kirkindoll of Baton Rouge, La.

The driver was not injured but Waters said his wife, Elizabeth Kirkindoll, 46, and their son, Thomas Kirkindoll, 18, both sustained injuries.

He said all injured were transported to L. V. Stabler Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment.

Cpl. Ellis Farley is the investigating trooper on the accident and Waters said at this time, he has not been able to question the mother of the two fatalities.

&uot;She was unable to respond and is under sedation,&uot; he said.

&uot;This accident remains under investigation.&uot;

Waters said everyone involved in the accident were wearing safety restraints, but that a child at age four when put only in a seatbelt can often not be protective enough.

Six people died in accidents over the long Christmas holiday weekend The Alabama Department of Public Safety predicted 14 traffic deaths during the Christmas holiday, which began at 6 p.m. Thursday and ended at midnight Sunday.

For the upcoming New Year’s weekend that runs from 6 p.m. Friday to midnight Sunday, the department is predicting that 13 people may die in traffic accidents.

Waters said that although the prediction failed for Christmas, that six fatalities are still six too many.

&uot;We went from 14 to six, and that is a good sign that people are taking more precautions,&uot; he said.

He attributed the drop in more people using their seatbelts and that they give themselves more time on the road.

As for the upcoming holiday weekend, the state troopers and many area law enforcement agencies will be out looking for traffic violations and also possible drunk drivers.

&uot;We are going to have as many troopers that we can out there this weekend,&uot; he said.