Deadly crash near Sunshine Skyway after driver fell asleep, FHP says

A 27-year-old Clearwater woman died after being ejected from a truck during a crash Sunday near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash happened around 4 a.m., the agency said in a news release.

A 21-year-old man from Pinellas Park was driving a Chevy Colorado truck south on Interstate 275 when he fell asleep near the North Sunshine Skyway Rest Area and “lost control of the vehicle which departed from the highway,” FHP said.

The vehicle hit a tree and the guardrail, and the female passenger was ejected from the truck, troopers said. She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she died from her injuries, the agency said.

FHP shares update on deadly Skyway crash

According to Sergeant Steve Gaskins with FHP, the driver was evaluated for alcohol and drug impairment and tested negative.

Gaskins told the Bradenton Herald that the woman was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

The driver and two other passengers in the truck did not sustain any injuries, FHP said.

The agency is still investigating the crash, Gaskins said Monday.

This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 11:49 AM.