TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Car Driving Wrong Way On I-275 Caused Crash, Police Say

ADVERTISEMENT

By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 23, 2008

TAMPA - A man and woman were seriously injured early this morning when a car driving the wrong way on Interstate 275 collided with their vehicle, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Andrew Ryan, 20, and Melinda Quick, 20, both from Tampa, were taken to Tampa General Hospital with injuries the highway patrol reported as serious.

At about 3:20 a.m., Ryan Suarez, 32, was heading south in the northbound lanes of I-275 south of Kennedy Boulevard, the highway patrol said.

Ryan, driving a 2000 Pontiac heading north, swerved to avoid Suarez whose 2003 Honda hit the driver's door of Ryan's car. Both vehicles spun after the impact, the highway patrol reported.

Troopers believe Suarez of St. Petersburg entered the northbound lanes of I-275 from either Kennedy Boulevard or Memorial Highway and drove one or two miles before the collision. Suarez received minor injuries.

The highway patrol said alcohol was involved and investigators are waiting for results of blood tests on Suarez. The accident remains under investigation.

All three people involved were wearing seatbelts, the report said.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT