DUI: Single Vehicle Crash Leaves 2 Year-Old Dead and 11 Injured in Manatee
March 1, 2015
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 24 year-old Shameka L. Jones of Winter Haven was charged with DUI Manslaughter, DUI injury (9 counts), and DUI Serious Injury. The crash occurrred on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at approximately 4:55 PM.
Jones was the driver of a 2001 Ford Expedition traveling northbound on I-75 approaching the 233 mile marker in Manatee County. The Expedition traveled in a northeasterly direction onto the east shoulder and as a result, it went airborne and overturned several times. The vehicle then struck several trees and came to rest facing north.
There were a total of 9 children and 3 adults inside the vehicle at the time of the crash. One of these children, 2 year-old Isaac Solomon was pronounced dead at South Bay Hospital.
The driver along with the two other adults in the vehicle were seriously injured in the crash with at least two of them transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. FHP reports that none of the children were utilizing seatbelts or other child restraint devices. One 6 month-old boy was seriously injured and transported to All Children’s Hospital and the other children (ages 2,3,5,5,5,7,10) were listed as having minor injuries.