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Teen driver from Lutz hits Tampa police car while texting

Tribune file photos

A Lutz teen hit a police car while texting friends when she was supposed to be in school.

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TBO.com

Published: May 21, 2009

TAMPA - The message Katelyn Blaylock received Wednesday morning wasn't on her phone: It's bad to text while driving, especially while skipping school, police said.

Blaylock, 17, of Lutz, rear-ended a Tampa police officer's patrol car at a red light at Bruce B. Downs and Palms Springs boulevards at 10:53 a.m. Wednesday because she was sending text messages on her phone, police said.

Officer Tanya Manning was not injured, but Blaylock and her front passenger, Alexis Suda, 18, also of Lutz, suffered minor injuries from the deployment of their vehicle's airbags, police said.

The crash caused about $3,000 in damage to both vehicles, police said.

The officer discovered that Blaylock, Suda and the rear passenger, Ashton Longworth, 17, of Lutz, were skipping class from Freedom High School.

Manning cited Blaylock for careless driving. Police delivered the girls to the assistant principal. The girls' parents also were notified.

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