Tampa, FL (May 20, 2021) - A 15-year-old girl died in a crash on the Gandy Bridge in Tampa on Thursday morning. The accident occurred at approximately 4:15 a.m.
According to the Tampa Police Department, a 20-year-old man was driving a 2008 Infiniti Q35 when he ran out of gas on the bridge. The man pulled onto the shoulder and exited his vehicle when he noticed a 2021 Honda Accord coming towards him and swerving in the roadway. A 15-year-old exited the Infiniti and was struck by the oncoming Accord. The girl was killed as a result of the crash. The 28-year-old Honda diver, later identified as Sebastian Guitierrez, of Riverview, remained at the scene. Following sobriety tests, police charged Guiterrez with DUI manslaughter and he was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.
No further information has been released at this time.
In 2017, Florida experienced 5,125 alcohol-related crashes. This number equates to about 14 crashes per day in which drivers are drinking or under the influence of alcohol or some other substance. Of the number of crashes, about 350 fatalities were reported. Drunk driving crashes in Florida are almost always caused by the negligence of the impaired driver. Being impaired slows reaction time and diminishes the capability of drivers to appreciate the risks of driving.
Our thoughts and condolences are with the family of the girl who was killed in this Tampa DUI crash.
Rubenstein Law is dedicated to serving individuals & families injured by the negligence of others. We know first-hand the heartbreak that can be left behind after an accident. In our news blog, we write about cases of personal injury relevant to our line of work, and we report on news of judgments and appellate cases that affect the rights of personal injury claimants. We feel a responsibility to raise awareness of the injury and tragic loss of life occurring across our state every day.
Note: These posts are created using publicly available (secondary) sources, information has not been independently verified. If you see any information that should be corrected, please bring it to our attention and we will make adjustments. The photos depicted in these posts are not representative of the actual accident scene.
