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Tampa police seek witnesses to April 10 crash on Florida Ave.

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 24, 2009

Updated: 04/24/2009 03:54 pm

TAMPA - Eighteen people have died in wrecks in Tampa so far this year, a 38 percent increase over the 13 fatalities from January to April 2008, police statistics show.

Among this year's fatalities is a backseat passenger killed in a collision April 10.

Police are seeking witnesses to the crash, which occurred after a driver ran a red light at North Florida Avenue and Scott Street about 3:29 p.m. A white car eastbound on Scott collided with a pickup truck northbound on Florida, killing the car's rear-seat passenger, Wellington House, 31.

Investigators have not been able to determine which driver was at fault.

Detective Bob Powell said police charged the pickup's driver, Martin Campos, with misdemeanor driving under the influence. Campos, 44, of Bradenton is free on $1,500 bail, records show.

If Campos is found to have been at fault, the charge will be upgraded to felony DUI-manslaughter, Powell said.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call police at (813) 231-6130.

Felony DUI-manslaughter arrests also are up this year, with three since January, Powell said. There was one such arrest during all of 2008.

One person charged this year, Randy Archiquette, 39, of Riverview, is accused of killing two motorists, Betty Williams, 69, and Brittany McFarland, 20, in separate collisions on Florida Avenue on April 13.

Archiquette, is being held without bail at Orient Road Jail.

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