Two different truck wrecks occurred on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, due to speed. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the first accident related to speed took place on Tuesday afternoon on northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa, and the second collision occurred on Fifth Avenue N in St. Petersburg.
The first truck crash happened near the Tampa International Airport and Mile Marker 40. According to police, a dump truck rolled over as it was attempting to exit onto northbound I-275 from State Road 60 south. However, the truck driver was going too fast and the vehicle overturned. Because the top of the dump truck was open, debris was spilled over the roadway, closing that section of I-275 for over two hours. The driver, 60-year-old Daniel Clemente Rocha, of Wimauma, did not report any injuries; however he was cited for careless driving.
On the same day in neighboring city St. Petersburg another speed-related wreck occurred around 5:00 p.m. According to St. Petersburg Police, a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 was speeding on Fifth Avenue N when it crossed the intersection of Park Street, ran off the road, and hit a brick wall and tree.
The pickup driver died at the scene and was later identified as 50-year-old William Charles Turner, of St. Petersburg.
Police are still investigating this crash; however, they do believe excessive speed—as fast as 100 miles per hour—was the likely cause of this fatal accident.
Our Sarasota personal injury lawyers would like to remind all drivers to drive the speed limit and be careful when they are at the wheel.