On Sunday, January 28, 2024, at approximately 5:15 am, Largo Fire Rescue and Largo Police officers responded to a vehicle crash at the intersection of Starkey Road and East Bay Drive.
The collision involved a Honda sedan and a Mercedes sedan.
The driver of the 2016 Mercedes was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg with non-life-threatening injuries, while two occupants of the Honda died from their injuries at the scene. Friends and family have identified them as Ariadna Sánchez and Paulino Trejo-Mendoza.
The black 2014 Honda Civic overturned and came to rest in the Starbucks parking lot on the southeast corner of the intersection.
According to the Largo Police Department, the driver of the silver Mercedes was traveling east on East Bay Drive at high speed. The driver of the Mercedes reportedly ran the red light at the intersection and struck the Honda Civic traveling southbound on Starkey Road. At this time, it is unknown if impairment was a factor in the crash.
As of 6:15 am, traffic has been closed in the intersection, except for westbound lanes. The lane closures are expected to continue for several hours.
The roadway fully reopened at approximately 12:20 p.m.
The investigation is ongoing and no information has been made available by the Largo Police Department.