High-Speed Car Crash in Hillsborough County Kills 22-Year-Old Passenger

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 27, 2021

A 24-year-old Tampa woman is facing several serious charges including DUI manslaughter, DUI involving a serious injury, reckless driving involving a serious injury, driving without a license, and multiple counts of DUI property damage, after her alleged involvement in a high-speed chase and subsequent car crash early Sunday morning along I-4 which resulted in the death of a 22-year-old passenger.

According to preliminary collision reports from the responding authorities in Hillsborough County, it was approximately 1:40 a.m. on April 25^th, 2021, that 24-year-old Tampa resident Jennifer Carvajal was driving her Hyundai Elantra near the Gator Ford car dealership in Seffner close to Interstate 4. After an officer with the Florida Highway Patrol registered the Elantra at nearly 115 mph on their radar, they immediately engaged in a pursuit with the speeding vehicle. As this dangerous car chase was occurring, Carvajal made the deadly mistake of trying to maneuver a high-speed, hard-right turn, and her vehicle was sent careening down the road’s embankment until it became airborne. The Elantra then crashed into a set of streetlights, palm trees, and some fencing before finally coming to a rest in the Gator Ford parking lot.

Hillsborough County emergency response teams rushed to the scene of the horrific car accident to find that 4 occupants had originally been inside the Elantra, however, due to the severe nature of the incident and the fact that none of them were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision, 3 passengers had been been ejected from the mangled vehicle. All three individuals were immediately transported to local hospitals in serious condition. Sadly, a 22-year-old passenger was unable to survive the extent of her injuries and she passed away shortly upon arrival. Carvajal was the only one wearing her seatbelt when the crash occurred and sustained minor injuries in the accident.

Public court records indicate that the driver of the Elantra, Jennifer Carvajal, has already served a stint in prison for killing a 52-year-old driver in Plant City back in 2014. At that time, she was arrested for DUI manslaughter and driving without a valid license.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a Hillsborough County car crash, please contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation.

Sources

• Tampa woman causes another deadly crash, was going 111 mph on I-4

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.