Impact sends car into building; one driver hurt, may be charged

By CASEY CORA, Times Staff Writer
Published October 23, 2007

TAMPA - A visibly shaken Joe Hankins watched Monday afternoon as a tow truck yanked his 2003 Dodge Ram pickup from an intersection.

About 45 minutes earlier, Hankins, 67, of Tampa was cruising east on E Columbus Drive through the 21st Street intersection when his truck smashed into a Honda Civic.

The impact sent the dark green sedan into the ground floor of a vacant building at 2101 E Columbus, smashing through the wrought iron gate and leaving piles of debris at the building's entrance.

Witnesses told police the driver of the Civic, Maria Torres, 19, of Riverview, had driven through a red light, said Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade.

Rescuers worked for about 30 minutes to remove Torres from the mangled car. She was taken to Tampa General Hospital with injuries that weren't life-threatening, Wade said. She could face charges for running the red light.

Hankins and his passenger, Stephanie Washington, 34, were not injured.

Hankins said he still isn't sure what happened.

"I know my light was green," he said.

[Last modified October 23, 2007, 00:46:36]