A wrong-way crash in Seffner on Friday left one man dead and another injured.
According to Debbie Carter with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Dwight Bradley Thomas, 66, of Tampa was driving the wrong way on Joe Ebert Road at 5:50 a.m. when he struck Christopher Turner, 32, of Plant City. Carter said Turner saw Thomas coming over a small hill and had just enough time to apply his brakes before being hit head-on.
Thomas died at the scene, Turner was taken to Tampa General Hospital where he remains in serious condition.
Carter said it remains unclear what caused Thomas to drive in the opposite lane.
"It could be alcohol-related, it could be drug-related, this is early in the morning, so it could be someone fell asleep,” she said. “There are several scenarios and that will be determined once the traffic homicide investigators are able to look into it more thoroughly.”
Friday’s crash adds to a growing number of wrong-way accidents that have been plaguing Tampa Bay area roads and interstates.
On Tuesday, a Temple Terrace police officer was driving back from training in Lakeland when he was struck by a wrong-way driver. The officer is currently recovering at home.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy John Kotfila was killed in a wrong-way crash on the Selmon Expressway on March 12.
Hillsborough County authorities say the Florida Department of Highway Safety is working on pilot projects that will include making “Do Not Enter” signs for interstate exits more prominent.
