Semitruck driver shouldn't have been on road, Daytona Beach police say

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A driver who had two children in the semitruck when he crashed into three cars and led officers on a chase shouldn't have been driving in the first police, Daytona Beach police told Channel 9's Mike Springer.

Rick Wolff told Eyewitness News that he was involved in the crash and was able to walk away with only a few scrapes and bruises.

“I have no idea why nobody was killed, because that was a vicious, vicious hit,” Wolff said.

He was in one of three cars that Daytona Beach police said Matthew Berthel hit on Saturday evening while driving a semitruck on Clyde Morris Boulevard and BeVille Road in Daytona Beach.

Berthel, who had a load of doors on his semi, was heading to DeBary when he turned left onto Clyde Morris, crashed into the cars and then took off, police said.

Wolff was waiting at the light when he said he saw the truck coming straight toward him.

“I looked down for a second. When I looked up, his truck, it was huge. It was right there getting within a foot of hitting me. He was going at a high rate of speed,” Wolff said.

Berthel kept driving after the collision until an officer stopped him near Richard Petty Boulevard, police said.

A little girl inside the semitruck began to cry when Berthel drove off again, police said.

Berthel ended up in the woods behind a 7-Eleven in Port Orange with his son and daughter, ages 7 and 9 until he was found and arrested, police said.

"Daddy was running because he had a warrant," the children told police, but he gave up  because he hurt his leg, police said.

Berthel was taken to a hospital to get checked out. The children were not hurt.

Family members took custody of the children.

Cox Media Group