ST PETERSBURG, FL – A two-vehicle crash, which led one of the cars to overturn, claimed a woman’s life and injured six children and one adult Thursday.
Fox13 News said the events unfolded around 3:30 p.m. when a driver of a white Saturn Vue was trying to turn from eastbound Fairfield Avenue South to northbound 34th Street South and was hit by a woman driving a black Volkswagen SUV.
St Petersburg Police said the Volkswagen driver was approaching southbound 34th Street prior to the crash. Officers said her car started speeding up, which caused her to lose control of her car. As a result, she hit Saturn and struck a utility pole, leading her vehicle to roll over.
Officers said the Volkswagen motorist perished at the scene. They have identified her as Viola McDuffie.
McDuffie’s two children, the four children from the Saturn and the Saturn driver, were all hospitalized.
The kids from the Saturn and McDuffie’s children were all rushed to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Emergency crews said McDuffie’s children were left in serious condition and the kids from the Saturn in stable condition.
The surviving motorist was sent to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital and appears to be in stable condition.
St. Pete police have not released additional information, including the identities of the surviving occupants and what caused McDuffie’s car to accelerate.
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