Minivan rolls over; six escape serious injury in two-vehicle accident
ST. PETERSBURG — Four people, including two children, escaped serious injury Thursday when the minivan they were riding in flipped over on Interstate 275, troopers said.
Crash investigators say the driver of a four-door Toyota tried to change lanes while driving north on Interstate 275 near Fourth Street in Pinellas County. The Toyota clipped the right side of a 2001 Chevrolet minivan, which was carrying four people from Lutz.
Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol said the minivan’s driver, 52-year-old Patrick Peters, was driving on a suspended license.
The impact sent the van spinning, and it eventually rolled over.
After the crash, bystanders helped remove two children — Kevin Peters, 5, and 2-year-old Brendon Peters — from the overturned van. St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue crews extricated driver Patrick Peters and passenger Krishana Peters, 26.
All four were treated for minor injuries at Tampa General Hospital, according to a highway patrol news release. All four had all been wearing seat belts.
The Toyota’s driver, Ilicia Demosky, 20, of Tampa, and her passenger, 2-year-old Sienna Demosky, also suffered minor injuries and were taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Demosky was cited with improper lane usage; Peters was cited with driving with a suspended license.
The 7:30 p.m. crash closed the northbound lanes for more than an hour.
Casey Cora and Stephanie Garry, Times staff writers