Crash on New Year’s Day morning kills Bradenton woman. Tampa woman faces DUI charges
Manatee County suffered its first traffic fatality of 2023 at about 3:33 a.m. Sunday, when an 80-year-old Bradenton woman died in a crash north of Palmetto.
A Tampa woman is facing multiple charges related to the crash, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.
The Bradenton woman was sitting in the rear seat of a Jeep Wrangler headed south on U.S. 41 toward the intersection of Buckeye Road, north of Palmetto.
A 56-year-old Sarasota man who was driving the Jeep saw a vehicle approaching from the south and tried to avoid a collision by steering onto the grass median, the FHP said.
But the two vehicles collided, right side to right side, causing the Jeep to rotate clockwise onto the grass shoulder, overturning several times and ejecting the passenger before coming to rest in an upright position.
After the impact, the sedan, a north-bound Hyundai Sonata, rotated clockwise, coming to rest in the southbound lanes of U.S. 41.
The Jeep passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. She was not wearing a safety belt, FHP said.
The Jeep driver and his second passenger, a 36-year-old Bradenton woman, were wearing seat belts and suffered minor injuries, the FHP reported.
A 36-year-old Tampa woman who was driving the Hyundai was charged with DUI manslaughter, driving while license suspended or revoked casing death, DUI property damage and injury and reckless driving. Her injuries were listed as minor.
The crash occurred during foggy conditions and limited visibility, the FHP said.
None of the names of those involved in the accident were released. The Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Unit continues to investigate the crash.
