Largo Teen Injured in Crash That Shut Down I-75

Updated, July 21: The Largo teenager who was critically injured in Friday's crash .

The driver was identified as Aria Karina Curad Mallari, 17.

Earlier:

A Largo teenager was critically injured in a three-vehicle crash Friday that shut down the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 south of State Road 54 in the Wesley Chapel area.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol media release, a 2008 Honda Civic driven by an unidentified 17-year-old girl from Largo was traveling southbound on I-75 around 5:30 p.m. today when the driver lost control. The Civic crossed the median and went into the northbound lanes, striking a Chevy pickup driven by Kyle Mansfield, 25, of Hernando County. Mansfield’s pickup then collided with a 2000 Ford Ranger driven by Christina Penner, 46, of Largo.

The Civic split into two sections and subsequently caught on fire.

The 17-year-old was critically injured in the crash. Mansfield suffered serious injuries, the highway patrol reported. Penner has minor injuries, but did not require transport to a hospital.

“All northbound lanes of I-75 are currently closed and will remain closed for several hours,” wrote Sgt. Steve Gaskins in an email to the media. “Due to debris in the roadway and emergency response vehicles/helicopters, the southbound lanes were also closed, but have now re-opened. Northbound motorists are encouraged to seek alternative routes such as US-41 or US-301 and exit northbound I-75 at SR-56 or before.”

The investigation into the crash continues. All three drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

Stay with Patch for updates as they become available.