WRONGFUL DEATH

TAMPA, FL - The families of two people who died in a multi-vehicle collision on July 18 are suing the man who caused the crash and his employer, Sunrun, for negligence. According to ABC Action News, Howard Hientzelmeier III, 51, was heading north on I-275 to the Veterans Expy exit ramp when he looked down at his phone and slammed into a Toyota Camry that was stopped at a stop light. ...

On July 6, 2022, at approximately 11:30 pm, a pickup truck crashed into a tree at 54th Street and Central Avenue at the St. Petersburg intersection. There were four people in the truck at the time. One of the passengers died at the scene, one was airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, and the two remaining passengers were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Police are...

SEMINOLE, FL - An allegedly impaired driver fatally collided with a pedestrian at Park Blvd and Starkey Rd Thursday, WFLA reports. Francine Mashtare was driving a Chevrolet Camero when she struck Thomas Rothwell while he was crossing the street in a crosswalk around 12:50 a.m. First responders pronounced Rothwell dead at the scene. Authorities arrested Mashtare on a charge of DUI m...

BROOKSVILLE, FL - A miner died while working at the Cemex Brooksville Aggregates Quarry located on Camp Mine Rd on December 3, according to WFLA. The accident happened when the victim became entangled with equipment while working in the pit. Coworkers attempted first aid, but he died when first responders arrived. The Mine Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incid...

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL - According to WFLA, an alleged impaired driver has been charged with vehicular homicide after causing a fatal collision in Pinellas County on Saturday. Marino Ceballos-Hernandez was driving a Toyota SUV through thick fog on East Bay Dr when he attempted to pass a vehicle in front of him, striking that car in the process. His vehicle then swerved into oncoming traffic and...

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - A 22-year-old male on a scooter fatally struck a 77-year-old female bicyclist on November 7, WFLA reports. Tyler Brady was heading east on 6500 block of 18th St North when he collided with Alvera Minutello, who was riding a bike against the traffic flow and was bout to turn into a Publix, around 12:10 p.m. Minutello suffered multiple injuries, including a broke...

TAMPA, FL - New evidence suggests that the off-duty detention officer who crashed into a car on August 20th may have been at fault, Tampa Bay Times reports. Krista Ricther, 65, was pulling out of the Burger Culture restaurant on N Dale Mabry Hwy in a Nissan Murano and was about to make a U-turn when a Mustang operated by off-duty detention officer Daniel L. Hernandez, 36, plowed into them at ...

MULBERRY, FL - The alleged impaired hit-and-run driver who fatally collided with a vehicle on Oct. 23 has been arrested, WWSB reports. According to authorities, Ernesto Lopez Morales, 32, was operating a Chevrolet Suburban at high speeds, without headlights, on westbound FL 60. As Morales approached the intersection with Espo Dr, he rear-ended a Hyundai Elantra. The impact pushed the Elant...

BRANDON, FL - According to Tampa Bay Times, a hit-and-run driver fatally collided with a bicyclist on FL 60 near Lakewood Dr Friday. The victim, a 71-year-old male, was riding his bicycle eastbound around 2 a.m. when the suspect traveled into the bike lane and ran over the man before fleeing the area. Police believe the suspect's vehicle may be a BMW X-1 SUV with damage to its righ...

MADEIRA BEACH, FL - A worker fell to their death at a construction site near Causeway Blvd and Gulf Blvd Saturday, WTSP reports. The worker, an unidentified male, fell from the fifth floor of the construction site. Dispatchers sent first responders to the area around 7 p.m. They pronounced the victim dead at the scene of the accident. Authorities do not believe foul play was a factor in th...