By Luis Perez and Danny Valentine, Times Staff Writers
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
ST. PETERSBURG — Three people were injured — two critically — in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Ninth Avenue S and 16th Street S late Monday night.
All three injured people were in a silver 2008 Ford Escape that was traveling east on Ninth Avenue when it was struck by a Chevrolet pickup at 10:48 p.m.
St. Petersburg police Lt. Markus Hughes said witnesses reported that the Ford Escape was speeding and ran a red light when the vehicles collided.
The impact sent the Escape into the air and then a light pole, folding the vehicle in half. The vehicle rotated clockwise around the pole before coming to a rest.
A passenger in the rear seat, Daniel E. Toler, 20, was launched from the Escape and landed on the north curb line of Ninth Avenue, according to police. Troler was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in Serious condition.
Javon L. Oliver, 20, who was driving the Escape, and Malcolm L. Willis, 20, were both trapped in the vehicle and had to be extracted. Both were taken to Bayfront in critical condition.
The pickup driver, Leroy Williams Jr., 48, was not seriously injured and was walking around at the scene.
Williams said he likely avoided injury because he was wearing his seat belt. The driver of the Escape was ejected, he said.
"I'm lucky," Williams said. "I had a seat belt on."
Police are investigating whether alcohol was involved in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing.
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