Thursday, March 28, 2024

Serious Injury Crash Closes US-19 in Clearwater

Clearwater Police and Clearwater Fire & Rescue are on scene of a traffic crash with serious injuries on US-19 this morning. The crash occurred at about 4:15 a.m. and involved a single vehicle.

Initially, all southbound lanes beginning at Drew Street are shut down as the the crash itself was closer to Seville Boulevard.

According to police, a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe being driven by a 19-year-old man veered out of control in the southbound lanes of U.S. 19 about 4:15 this morning. The vehicle slammed into a divider at the Seville Boulevard exit and then spun off and traveled across all lanes of the highway before crashing into the concrete median separating northbound and southbound lanes.

The impact ejected the driver through the windshield and he landed in the northbound lanes.

He was not struck by any northbound vehicles. He was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg as a trauma alert but his injuries are now not thought to be life-threatening.

Two female passengers, ages 19 and 23, were taken to Morton Plant Hospital with injuries thought to be minor.

Speed was a likely factor in the crash, and the investigation continues.

The driver was identified as Hextor (cq) Armando Bonilla from Clearwater.

As a result of the investigation, the northbound lanes of US-19 were also closed near Seville Boulevard. The northbound lanes reopened at approximately 7 a.m. and the southbound lanes at approximately 7:35 a.m.

Drivers who typically use US-19 in a southbound direction were forced to use alternate routes such as the Bayside Bridge, Belcher Road or other roads.

 

Vehicle being loaded on tow truck. Photo courtesy of Clearwater Police

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