March 2013

St. Petersburg police officer Timothy Reyes was seriously injured when his police cruiser struck a curb, flipped, then hit a utility pole.  Reyes was on the way to assist with a stolen vehicle pursuit.  The vehicle had been stolen a few hours earlier when the owner left the keys in the ignition with the engine running at the Chevron gas station at 34th St and 1st Ave S.  Florida Statute 316.1975, titled “Unattended motor vehicle,” provides that a driver or person in charge of a motor vehicle “may not permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the…

Virginia Frazier and Eduardo Arana were seriously injured when the car they were riding in was struck by a bus driven by David Watkins at the intersection of 34th St S and 22nd Ave S.  Frazier and Arana were making a left turn from northbound 34th St when they were struck by the bus.  A red light camera at the intersection showed that the southbound bus ran a red light as Frazier attempted to make a left turn.  Florida Statute 316.074, titled “Obedience to and required traffic control devices,” states that “the driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of…

Anna Savchuk and Kayla Brock were seriously injured when the car they were riding in was struck on the driver side by a van being driven by Robert Wagner at the intersection of Curlew Rd and Fisher Rd.  Curlew Rd has no traffic control device, but Fisher Rd is controlled by a stop sign, which means that drivers on Curlew Rd have the right of way.  Florida Statute 316.123, titled “Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection,” states that “except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated…

Mark Rennie was killed when he was struck by a van driven by Gene Clarman at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St and 38th Ave N.  Rennie reportedly walked in front of the van, which had a green light.

Yahel Cruz, age 4, was seriously injured when she was thrown from a truck driven by Osbaldo Cruz as the truck rolled over after blowing a tire.  The child was not in a car seat or seat belt.  Florida Statute 316.613, titled “Child restraint requirements,” states that “every operator of a motor vehicle . . . while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint…

Ken Talamine was seriously injured when the motorcycle he was riding struck a car driven by Ray Dupont at the intersection of Gulf to Bay Blvd and Nimbus Ave.  Talamine was westbound on Gulf to Bay Blvd and struck Dupont’s car when Dupont attempted to cross Gulf to Bay.  Gulf to Bay Blvd  has no traffic control device, but Nimbus Ave is controlled by a stop sign, which means that drivers on Gulf to Bay Blvd have the right of way.  Florida Statute 316.123, titled “Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection,” states that “except when directed to proceed by a police…

Lazaro Hernandez-Flores was seriously injured in a single-car accident when the car he was riding in, being driven by Melgin Colindres-Baquedano, struck some trees on Shell Point Rd near 5th St NE.  Florida Statute 316.1925, titled “Careless driving,” provides that “Any person operating a vehicle upon the streets or highways within the state shall drive the same in a careful and prudent manner, having regard for the width, grade, curves, corners, traffic, and all other attendant circumstances, so as not to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person.”

William Acton was killed and Howard Creps was seriously injured when they were struck while walking in a crosswalk by a car driven by Christopher Bossio at the intersection of US 41 and Hale Rd.  Florida Statute 316.130, titled “Pedestrians, traffic regulations,” provides that “the driver of a vehicle at an intersection that has a traffic control signal in place shall stop before entering the crosswalk and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian, with a permitted signal, to cross a roadway when the pedestrian is in the crosswalk or steps into the crosswalk and is upon the half of the roadway…

Sarah Scoggins was seriously injured when her SUV collided with a semi-tractor trailer being driven by Hector Broche on State Rd 56 near the I-75 exit ramp.  Broche reportedly pulled in front of Scoggins after exiting the interstate.  Florida Statute 316.123, titled “Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection,” states that “except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if…

Constantine Chaconas was killed when his car collided head on with a car driven by Eugene Liddy on I-275 near the 22nd Ave N exit.  Chaconas was reportedly driving northbound in the southbound lanes of I-275.  Liddy was seriously injured in the crash.  Florida Statute 316.081, titled “Driving on right side of roadway, exceptions,” states that a driver is required to drive on the right side of the road, unless certain exceptions apply.