Virginia Frazier, 74, of Clearwater, is listed in critical condition at Bayfront Medical Center after police say the driver of a tour bus ran a red light and hit her Buick Wednesday morning. The passenger, Eduardo Arana, 48, of Clearwater, was also taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries, police say.
According to a press release, police have video evidence (from one of the red light cameras at that intersection) indicating the MCI bus driven by David Watkins, of Minnesota, ran a red light prior to entering the intersection and colliding with the Buick as it made the left turn. Officials are not releasing the video at this time and are waiting for video from a different red light camera to determine the location of the Buick.
Watkins was headed northbound on 34th St. S. in the center lane, approaching the intersection at 22nd Ave S. when Frazier was driving soutbound on 34th St. S. int he left ture lane, preparing to turn left onto 22nd Ave S. when the accident happened around 8:30 Wednesday morning, according to St. Petersburg Police Spokesperson Bill Proffitt.
According to police, a Cocker Spaniel dog was loose in the back seat at the time of the crash. The dog appears to have minor injuries and will be transported to the SPCA for treatment, police say.
Police say the bus had 41 people on board with the Rochester Community and
Technical College (RCTC) from Rochester, Minnesota. Police say the baseball players and coaches are in town for the baseball tournament at Walter Fuller Park in St. Pete.
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