SUV Tied to Fatal Clearwater Crash Seized in Carrollwood

The Clearwater Police Department believes it’s found the Mercedes SUV involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash Sunday that left two pedestrians dead.

According to the agency, the vehicle was traced to a Carrollwood area home and was seized overnight Tuesday by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The home where the vehicle was found is on Lynn Lake Circle and belongs to Charles Winzenread, Clearwater Police wrote in an email to media.

Sunday’s accident occurred just after 8 p.m. on the Memorial Causeway.

Viola Flores, 51, and John R. Berg, 62, of Lake in the Hills, Ill., were struck by a westbound vehicle that took off after the crash. Flores and Berg were taken to Morton Plant Hospital where they later died.

An extensive search for the suspect vehicle was kicked off. That search, police said in the email, led them to the Carrollwood home.

“The search warrant was obtained after tireless efforts by patrol, detective and civilian personnel of the Clearwater Police Department to locate the vehicle that is suspected to have fled the scene,” police wrote in the email. “The department would like to thank the numerous citizens who contributed during the course of the
investigation, which continues at this time.”

The Mercedes will now be forensically processed, police noted.

Photo courtesy of the Clearwater Police Department