1 Injured After Delivery Driver's Car Stolen, Crashed

When a food delivery driver made a stop on Betty Lane, leaving the keys inside his Toyota Prius Monday evening, the vehicle was too tempting for thieves to pass up.

According to the Clearwater Police Department, the two people accused of being those thieves were involved in an accident not 90 minutes after the driver reported his car stolen. Police say the driver of the vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Northeast Coachman and Belcher roads just after 11 p.m., striking a Honda Odyssey van.

“The impact caused the Prius to flip and come to rest near a neighboring business,” an email from the department stated.

One of the Toyota’s occupants, a 17-year-old girl believed to be the passenger, was taken to Bayfront Health with what were believed to be life-threatening injuries. She was later transferred to All Children’s Hospital, where she was last listed in serious, but stable condition.

Police have not released the names of those involved, nor have they said if the driver is in custody. The investigation continues.

The occupants of the Odyssey were not injured in the crash, which closed the intersection for more than two hours.

Photo courtesy of the Clearwater Police Department