Troopers searching for driver who fled deadly Tampa crash https://t.co/9SjVOfCgL8
— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) January 14, 2024
In the aftermath of a tragic three-vehicle collision near the airport early Sunday, the Florida Highway Patrol is actively seeking the driver responsible for fleeing the scene. The incident claimed the life of a 37-year-old Tampa man, a passenger in a Dodge Journey involved in the crash.
The collision occurred around 2:30 a.m. when the Dodge Journey, along with a Honda Odyssey, disregarded a red light at the exit ramp from State Road 589 onto Hillsborough Avenue. Both vehicles were heading east when a Dodge Charger, driven by a 24-year-old man from Jacksonville and traveling through a green light, collided with the Odyssey. The Odyssey, in turn, struck the Journey.
The collision flipped the Journey, leading to the tragic death of the 37-year-old passenger, who narrowly avoided being ejected from the SUV. The Florida Highway Patrol has not yet released the victim’s identity.
Yudelkis Portes, a 42-year-old Tampa woman identified as the driver of the Journey, now faces a DUI manslaughter charge in connection with the incident. Meanwhile, the driver of the red Honda Odyssey, manufactured between 2005 and 2007, fled the scene.
The Highway Patrol is actively pursuing the hit-and-run driver and urges anyone with information to come forward. Individuals with details related to the incident are encouraged to call *FHP (*347) or CrimeStoppers at **TIPS (**8477). The search continues for the driver responsible for this tragic incident.
