On Friday, October 18, 2024, at approximately 9:40 AM, 68-year-old Charles Edward Kunath of Palm Harbor was involved in a serious crash on Lake St. George Drive, just north of Tampa Road.
Kunath, driving an SUV, encountered a closed section of the roadway where Pinellas County workers were addressing flood damage
Despite visible barricades and road closure signs, Kunath drove around them, ignoring workers who signaled for him to stop.
Kunath accelerated and struck two workers, a 49-year-old man from Pinellas Park and a 49-year-old man from Clearwater. Both men suffered life-threatening injuries and were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
After the collision, Kunath fled the scene but was later apprehended at his residence by Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers.
He was arrested and charged with attempted vehicular homicide, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of a crash with injury, reckless driving causing serious injury, and multiple traffic violations. Kunath was booked into the Pinellas County Jail.