Seven people injured when vehicle’s tire blows out on I-75 in Sarasota County

The driver and one passenger were transported to area hospitals by Bay Flight with serious injuries after their vehicle rolled over following a tire blowout early Sunday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly before 1 a.m., a 2003 Ford Expedition was traveling northbound on I-75 near Mile Marker 188 in Sarasota County when the right rear tire suffered a blow out, according to the press release. The driver lost control, and the vehicle went down an embankment and rolled over twice.

All seven passengers were transported to area hospitals with serious or minor injuries. Only the driver and a 17-year-old passenger were wearing their seatbelts. The other passengers included three children ages 10 and under.

The driver has been charged with having an expired license and for seat belt violations.

This story was originally published July 2, 2017 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Seven people injured when vehicle’s tire blows out on I-75 in Sarasota County."