A Florida woman allegedly slammed her car into a tanker truck in a failed attempt to kill herself and her two young sons — claiming that it was all “God’s will,” according to a new report.
Melissa Gail Mack, 48, of Gainesville, sparked the fiery crash with her 4- and 6-year-old sons in her van around 5:15 p.m. Friday, the Gainesville Sun reported.
She was heading north when she suddenly drove into the southbound lanes in an attempt to strike a tanker truck carrying 330 tons of gasoline, according to the report.
The truck driver swerved to avoid a collision — but Mack made a U-turn and rammed into the back of the truck, authorities said. Her engine then caught fire.
No one was seriously injured in the crash, but the two children were taken to a local hospital for examination, according to the report. They have since been released and turned over to the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, authorities said.
One of Mack’s longtime friends told authorities that they’d talked a few hours before the crash and Mack told her about her murder-suicide plans, according to the report.
Mack had told her friend that “it was ‘God’s will’ and she was ‘afraid’ but nothing could be done to change the outcome,” according to an arrest report obtained by the outlet.
The friend told police she tried to call Mack later but she didn’t answer. Then she got word about the crash from another pal.
Mack told police she remembered certain details from the crash but claimed memory loss, the paper reported. She also acknowledged having a conversation with her friend but did not go into detail, according to the arrest report.
Mack was also examined at the hospital for bruising from her seat belt. She was charged with three counts of attempted murder for both her children and the truck driver.