Tampa Woman Killed During Wrong-Way Car Crash in Clearwater

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 12, 2021

According to preliminary incident reports from the arresting officers with the Clearwater Police Department, a 36-year-old man from Tampa has been taken into custody for his alleged involvement in a deadly auto accident which claimed the life of his 28-year-old passenger early Wednesday morning near Chestnut Street.

Authorities with the Clearwater Police Department indicate that it was close to midnight when on-duty officers attempted a routine traffic stop on 36-year-old Pedro Castro, who was driving an SUV in the eastbound direction of Court Street near Missouri Avenue at the time. However, the driver apparently had other plans as he proceeded to perform a U-turn in the middle of the street and sped off the wrong-way westbound along Court Street with his 28-year-old female passenger in tow.

As Castro’s SVU approached the intersection of Court Street and Chestnut Street, he swerved to avoid a head-on collision with another motorist on the road and in doing so, Castro completely lost control of the sport utility vehicle and it crashed into a building located close to the street.

Pinellas County emergency response teams arrived at the auto accident crash site within a matter of minutes and immediately transported 36-year-old Castro to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg for additional medical treatment, although the extent of his injuries are currently unknown. Sadly, the SUV’s 28-year-old female passenger was unable to survive the serious nature of her injuries and she was declared dead at the scene.

The alleged offender, Pedro Castro, “has been to prison multiple times over the years,” stated an official with the Clearwater Police Department. Castro now faces charges of vehicular homicide, fleeing to elude, and driving with a suspended or revoked license. He will be taken to a Pinellas County jail as soon as he is medically cleared.

For over forty years, Tampa auto accident lawyer James O. Cunningham has been compassionately fighting for the rights of families and victims who have been severely injured or killed in a hit-and-run collision, wrong-way accident, drunk driver accident, or head-on collision. For additional information, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation with one of our knowledgeable associates.

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.