Pickup hits I-75 guard rail, injuring 5 passengers

A boy and a dog riding in the truck's bed are ejected in the crash.

By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 10, 2003

A red pickup northbound on Interstate 75 in Pasco County veered out of control Thursday night and slammed into a guardrail, ejecting a 14-year-old boy and a dog riding in the bed of the truck.

Two men and two women were in the front seat of the 1966 Chevrolet truck, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Ryan Shaw said. Troopers did not say whether those inside the truck had been wearing seat belts.

The 36-year-old driver, the boy and another passenger were airlifted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa and were listed in fair condition Thursday night. Ambulances took the other two passengers to local hospitals.

Authorities could not find the dog.

The patrol had not released names of those involved Thursday night. Records show that the truck is registered to Robert Daniel King, 36, of 26325 Glenhaven Drive in Wesley Chapel.

The single-vehicle accident happened about 6:30 p.m. The truck was northbound in the right lane, about 5 miles north of State Road 54, when it veered across the left lane and into the median, Shaw said.

The driver of a southbound semitrailer truck saw the red pickup turn sideways and crash into the metal guard rail separating northbound and southbound traffic, Shaw said. The hood popped up, and the engine compartment was crushed.

Troopers saw no evidence that the crash was alcohol-related.

Emergency vehicles blocked both lanes of northbound traffic for about 45 minutes, leaving cars idle for several miles down I-75 until about 7:15 p.m.

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