4 St. Pete Residents Seriously Injured In I-275 Pileup

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Four people are in serious condition following a four-car pileup on northbound Interstate 275 at mile marker 23.

Shortly after noon on Thursday, Sept. 6, Kim Gordon, 49, of St. Petersburg was driving her Toyota Camry south on I-275. John Matthews, 48, of St. Petersburg was traveling north on I-275 in the middle lane in a 2004 Dodge Durango, Laporsha Smalls, 26, of St. Petersburg was traveling north in the outside lane in a 2001 Honda Accord and Karen Nice, 50, of St. Petersburg was driving a 2013 Ford Focus in the northbound inside lane.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Gordon lost control of her car and traveled southeast across the median into the northbound lanes of I-275.

Gordon first collided with Matthews’s Durango, which rotated and came to rest in the center northbound lane. Then she struck the front of Smalls’ car, which came to rest in the outside northbound lane.

Finally, Gordon’s car rotated and she was struck by Nice’s Ford Focus, which came to a controlled stop on the inside shoulder.

Gordon and Matthews were taken to Bayfront Health with serious injuries.

Smalls and her passenger, 32-year-old Tushawn Felton of St. Petersburg, were taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital with serious injuries.

And Nice was taken to Bayfront Health with minor injuries.

Image via FHP