Two killed in wrong-way crash in Venice

Two people are dead and a child was taken to the hospital after a wrong-way crash in Sarasota County Tuesday night that closed the northbound portion of the road for several hours.

The crash occurred around 6:13 p.m. Tuesday along U.S. 41, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. A news release from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said the crash was in the 2200 block, just north of Englewood Road, in Venice.

A 2007 Nissan Frontier, driven by Stephen Poneleit, 63, of Venice, was southbound in the left, northbound lane of U.S. 41 while a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, driven by Shannon Anderson, 30, of Englewood, was headed northbound in the same lane, according to FHP.

The Frontier struck the Cavalier head-on.

Poneleit and Anderson were both killed in the crash, according to FHP.

A 3-year-old boy who was a passenger in Anderson’s vehicle was not reported injured, according to FHP. He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center. WFLA News Channel 8 reports the child was flown to All Children’s Hospital.

Traffic on U.S. 41 North was blocked for about five hours while troopers investigated the crash, according to releases from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

This story was originally published December 13, 2017 at 6:56 AM with the headline "Two killed in wrong-way crash in Venice."