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Spotsylvania man accused of reckless driving Date published: 6/11/2004 By KEITH EPPS A 62-year-old Spotsylvania County man has been charged in connection with a June 2 crash that claimed the lives of a county woman and her 4-year-old son. Police have determined that Clifford Robinson was racing the woman just before she lost control of her red Ford Mustang and crashed into a tree in the 11000 block of Gordon Road. Sheriff Howard Smith said Robinson was charged Wednesday with felony hit-and-run and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving while engaging in a race between two or more vehicles on the highway. Christy M. Antonuccio, 31, and Justin Antonuccio, 4, died in the early afternoon crash. The accident happened on a section of Gordon Road that turns from four lanes to two. Authorities say Robinson and Antonuccio were apparently vying to be first in line when the road became one lane in their direction. The tragic race lasted less than a mile, Smith said. "What a senseless accident. None of this had to happen," he said. Smith said police knew that Antonuccio was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the accident, but weren't aware of any racing until they received a call from a newspaper reporter. An unidentified man had called The Free Lance-Star a day after the crash, claiming he'd been behind the two vehicles when they sped off from a stoplight. "They were side by side at a high rate of speed," the caller said in a message left on an answering machine. "Next thing I knew, I saw a cloud of smoke." The caller gave a description and tag information for a Mercedes SUV. Smith said a check of the license plate led to Robinson. Smith said Robinson told Deputy Frank Fleming that he was in the right lane and the Mustang was in the left. Smith said Robinson told the deputy that he backed off just before the Mustang went around him and lost control. Robinson said he stopped and pulled some tree branches from the victims' car, but left after rescue workers arrived. Smith said Robinson's 2003 Mercedes had two spider-web cracks in its window glass from gravel kicked up by the victim's vehicle as it spun out of control. After his arrest, Robinson was released on a personal-recognizance bond. Smith said police know how fast the vehicles were traveling, but said he would not yet release that information. To reach KEITH EPPS: 540/374-5404 kepps@freelancestar.com
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