Tampa, Florida — A 49-year-old woman was killed after a sedan left the roadway, struck a culvert and went airborne before crashing into her at a bus stop, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The driver has since been arrested and is facing a DUI manslaughter charge.
The deadly crash happened Tuesday night in the East Lake-Orient Park area near Tampa, turning a routine evening into a fatal scene for a woman who was waiting at a bus stop.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the crash occurred around 7:40 p.m. on 56th Street North near Pitch Pine Circle.
Sedan Leaves Road and Goes Airborne
According to FHP, 33-year-old Benny Wallace was driving a Chevy sedan south on 56th Street North as he approached Pitch Pine Circle.
Troopers said Wallace lost control of the vehicle, causing the Chevy to leave the roadway and travel onto the shoulder. The sedan then struck a culvert.
The impact sent the vehicle airborne, after which it crashed into the 49-year-old woman who was at a bus stop near the northwest corner of the intersection.
The woman, who was from Tampa, suffered serious injuries in the collision. Emergency crews transported her to a nearby hospital for treatment, but she later died from her injuries, FHP said.
Vehicle Then Crashed Into Another Car
The deadly collision did not end after the sedan struck the pedestrian. According to investigators, the Chevy continued moving after hitting the woman and subsequently crashed into a Toyota sedan.
The Toyota was being driven by a 42-year-old Tampa man who was stopped on Pitch Pine Circle at the intersection.
Authorities have not indicated that the Toyota driver was responsible for the crash. The initial account from FHP focused on Wallace’s loss of control and the subsequent sequence of collisions.
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The investigation is continuing as troopers work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.
Driver Accused of Being Impaired
FHP said troopers determined that Wallace was impaired at the time of the crash. Following the investigation, he was arrested and faces serious criminal charges connected to the woman’s death.
Wallace is charged with DUI manslaughter and refusal to submit to testing, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
DUI manslaughter is a serious offense because prosecutors must establish the required elements connecting impaired driving with the death of another person. The arrest represents the allegations against Wallace, while the criminal case will proceed through the court system.
Fatal Crash Shocks East Lake-Orient Park
The crash occurred in the East Lake-Orient Park area, a community just east of Tampa, where the collision left a pedestrian dead and another driver involved in the aftermath.
The circumstances described by FHP show how quickly the situation unfolded. The sedan reportedly left the roadway, struck the culvert, became airborne and hit the woman before continuing into another vehicle.
For the woman at the bus stop, there was little opportunity to escape the path of the vehicle. Her death adds another tragic consequence to a crash that investigators say involved an allegedly impaired driver.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, including the events leading up to Wallace losing control of the Chevy.
What do you think about this tragic Tampa crash? Share your thoughts in the comments, and let us know what you think drivers should keep in mind when getting behind the wheel.
