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St. Petersburg Mom Charged With DUI, Child Abuse after Crash

December 20, 2010 - St. Petersburg, FL - A serious car accident that sent 3 people to the hospital has also sent a mother to jail on charges of DUI and child abuse.

MyFox Tampa Bay reports that police found 22-year-old Colleen Ludlow in her vehicle holding her 2-year-old daughter after causing a 3-car accident on December 9. The accident occurred at the intersection of 22^nd Avenue South and 42^nd Street South in St. Petersburg.

Investigators say she was driving west on 22^nd Avenue when she lost control of her car. Ludlow's vehicle struck a Nissan stopped at the intersection, then veered into oncoming traffic and struck a Honda. Police say Ludlow claimed her daughter was in her car seat during the incident, which also resulted in careless driving and seatbelt violations.

When the interior of Ludlow's car was searched, police found 2 empty beer bottles and an empty vodka bottle. Officers say she appeared intoxicated but refused a breath test, after which she was taken into custody. Her record shows 3 prior DUI arrests and a currently suspended license.

The driver of the Honda involved in the accident was taken to Bayfront Medical Center to receive treatment for spinal cord injuries. The 2 occupants of the Nissan were also treated for injuries and released. Ludlow and her daughter were uninjured and the 2-year-old's grandmother is caring for her while Ludlow remains in custody.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' 2009 Traffic Crash Statistics Report, there were 197,214 traffic crashes resulting in injury and 2,563 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in Florida.

As a service to the residents of St. Petersburg, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to: 

• single-car accidents;
• hit-and-run accidents;
• accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
• accidents caused by aggressive driving or distracted drivers. 

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim's family member or friend and would like the blog removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

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