Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Kids without seat belts injured in crash

The driver was given eight citations: six for the children not wearing seat belts, one for not having a tag and another for failing to obey a sign.

DUNEDIN - Four children were airlifted to St. Petersburg's Bayfront Medical Center with serious injuries Wednesday evening after the sport utility vehicle they were in rolled through a stop sign, was broadsided and overturned, authorities said.

Sheriff's officials said one child suffered a skull fracture, another a brain injury, while the other two had only bruises. The children's updated conditions were not available Thursday.

Sheriff's deputies said Hercules Mendiola, 26, of Dunedin was driving a Kia Sportage toward home south on Live Oak Lane at 6:46 p.m. Wednesday.

In the passenger seat was Cynthia Etse, 24, said sheriff's spokesman Mac McMullen. In the back sat six children: siblings and cousins ages 3 weeks to 10 years old. None was wearing a seat belt, McMullen said.

Mendiola reached the corner of Beltrees Street, right in front of the family's home, and rolled through a stop sign, McMullen said. A Jeep Wrangler driven by Melody Scudiero then crashed into the driver's side of the Kia, flipping it onto its roof.

Scudiero, 28, of Dunedin and two children inside the Jeep, a 6- and 9-year-old, were taken to Mease Dunedin Hospital where they were treated and released, sheriff's officials said.

Mendiola was given eight citations: six for the children not wearing seat belts, one for not having a tag and another for failing to obey a traffic sign, McMullen said. Mendiola could not be reached for comment Thursday.