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Woman’s Car Catches Fire Following Crash in Manatee

A 21-year-old Bradenton woman was traveling with two young children in a Kia Rio, when it flipped over and caught fire in a late night crash, according to investigators.  The accident occurred after 10:00 PM on Thursday, February, 5, 2009.

The woman and children were not killed in the accident, neither was the driver of the SUV who was involved in the crash.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the Suburban SUV, a 60-year-old Virginia man, was driving erratically southbound on 27th Street East and hit the Kia, which sent her and the two children to hospitals.

Both vehicles overturned at the intersection of 33rd Avenue Drive East and 27th Street East following the collision, said Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Cheryl Fronczak.

Herb Smith, the battalion chief for Southern Manatee Fire Rescue, said that the Kia burst into flames spreading to the engine and passenger compartment shortly after 10:30 PM.

Witnesses of the accident said that the woman driving the Kia pulled the 6-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl out of the vehicle when the fire started.  The flames were extinguished within minutes after the firefighters arrived.

Smith said that two people were flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg and at least one other was taken to an area hospital via ground transport.

Witnesses told investigators that the SUV had also hit a silver van just minutes before on 27th Street East at the intersection of Manatee Avenue West.

Fronczak said that charges are pending against the driver of the SUV and a blood sample was taken from him.

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