Duval County

“She’ll never be forgotten” Mother, two horses killed in multi-car crash on U.S. 301 in Callahan

CALLAHAN, Fla. — A woman is dead after a multi-car crash on U.S. 301 near Janes Lane in Callahan Thursday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

FHP said two horses were standing in the southbound lanes of U.S. 301 when they were hit by a Toyota 4Runner.

A woman, who was driving behind the 4Runner, got out of her car to help and was hit by another car driving by.

According to a FHP traffic report, as the woman was getting out of her car, troopers said she was hit by a Kia Forte driving on U.S. 301, that hit one of the horses laying in the road and overturned -- striking the woman and a portion of her car.

The woman and the two horses died, according to FHP.

Troopers identified the woman killed as Mellisa Hicks Nault, 38, of Callahan.

Nault’s 15-year-old daughter was a passenger in the car. She was taken to the hospital and has been released.

Action News Jax has learned she has minor injuries. The pair were headed home from an audition for a school play when the crash happened.

For the last 15 years, Theresa Blair knew she could always count on her friend Nault.

“She found out I was in New Jersey with my biological father dealing with his death,” Blair said. “She jumped on a plane, she was there two days after she had major surgery and dealing with healing, and she was there for me the whole step of the way.”

Blair found out the news Friday.

“When I read the story I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s Mellisa.’ It was just tragic that she’s helping somebody, and then an accident,” Blair said.

Her heartbroken father, Donald Hicks, told Action News Jax over the phone Nault was always helping someone. Hicks said any time she could reach out and touch someone, she would.

“She just knows that I love her, and she’ll never be forgotten on my part,” Hicks said. “She just left us too soon.”

The drivers of the Toyota 4Runner and the Kia Forte were not hurt.

FHP and animal control are investigating.