3 injured in east Hillsborough crash

Two people are critically injured, including the driver who caused the accident while trying to flee the scene.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published December 16, 2005

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TAMPA - A three-vehicle crash on County Road 39 near Alderman's Ford in southeast Hillsborough left three people injured and forced investigators to close the road for an hour Friday morning.

The crash happened at 9:27 a.m., but sheriff's investigators say the incident began minutes earlier with a minor hit-and-run in the parking lot of a 7-11 convenience store.

Justin J. Johnson, 18, caused the accident in the parking lot at Dover Road and State Road 60, then fled. Deputies issued an alert for the Nissan Sentra he was driving, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter.

But before deputies spotted Johnson, he veered into the northbound lane as he traveled southbound on C.R.39 at the curve just north of Thompson Road. Johnson hit the side of a northbound Dodge pickup truck driven by Jonathan Lewis, 17, of Lithia.

The Nissan then hit a Ford pickup truck driven by 20-year-old James Gurda of Riverview, sending the truck into a ditch.

Finally, the Nissan spun around and stopped in the southbound lane of C.R. 39.

Johnson sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital. Fire rescue workers drove Gurda to TGH. His passenger, James Rogers, 42, of Riverview, was flown to TGH with critical injuries.

Lewis and his passenger, 51-year-old Ricky Lewis of Lithia, were not injured.

The investigation continues.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at 813 226-3373 or svansickler@sptimes.com