Jacksonville woman dies in wrong-way crash in south Sarasota

Woman dies in wrong-way crash

SARASOTA -- An 82-year-old Jacksonville woman died in a multi-vehicle crash on River Road in south Sarasota County

Friday night that left both lanes of traffic closed for hours, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

At 9:05 p.m., a 27-year-old Port Charlotte man was driving a 2008 Honda Civic heading north in the southbound lane of River Road approaching a 2011 Honda Pilot, according to a news release. The 54-year-old driver of the Pilot, a Land O Lakes makes, veered off to the right in an attempt to avoid the collision instead causing the left front side of the Civic to crash into the front left side of the Pilot.

The crash caused the Honda Civic to rotate counter-clockwise before coming to it's final rest in the northbound lane of River Road facing south. The Honda Pilot was also caused to rotate counter-clockwise until it came to rest on the west shoulder facing east.

Cecilia Sovyrda, 82, of Jacksonville, a passenger in the Honda Pilot died in the crash.

The driver of the Pilot and two additional passengers were reported to have serious injuries. The driver was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital to be treated and the two surviving passengers were taken to Englewood Hospital to be treated.

Charges are pending, according to FHP.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office assisted the Florida Highway Patrol with the investigation. North and southbound lanes of River Road were closed from U.S. 41 intersection south to Winchester Boulevard during that investigation.

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 11:25 PM with the headline "Jacksonville woman dies in wrong-way crash in south Sarasota ."