A 23-year-old man is facing charges of driving under the influence after a shocking accident on Sunday night on Interstate 275 in Hillsborough County, Florida. The incident involved a teenager who suffered serious injuries.
According to reports from the Florida Highway Patrol, an Infiniti sedan was traveling north on I-275, north of I-4, when it collided with another car parked on the inner shoulder.
The driver of the parked vehicle, a 19-year-old with apparent disabilities, was outside the car. Dane Jones, the 23-year-old drunk driver, lost control on the wet road, impacting both the teenager and his car.
The teenager was thrown over the guardrail, landing in the southbound lanes of the interstate. The resulting injuries were severe, requiring immediate medical attention.
Dane Jones was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence with serious injuries. He also faces charges for property damage due to driving under the influence and for driving with a suspended license in an accident with serious injuries.
As a consequence of the accident, the northbound lanes of I-275 at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the southbound lanes at Hillsborough Avenue were temporarily closed. The Tampa Police Department confirmed that by 3:30 a.m. on Monday, all lanes of I-275 were reopened.
In the hours following the incident, traffic cameras captured heavy traffic on the interstate, with multiple police patrols in the area.
This unfortunate I-275 accident highlights the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and underscores the importance of taking precautions to ensure safety on the roads. The community hopes that authorities take appropriate measures to prevent similar tragedies.
