Crime & Safety
St. Pete Toddler Dies After Being Struck by SUV
The accident happened in a residential area Thursday night.
A 2-year-old girl is dead following an accident outside a home on 49th Avenue North Thursday evening.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Robert Schmidt Jr., 27, of Seminole was leaving the yard at 7181 49th Ave. N. around 6:20 p.m. in a Ford SUV when the crash happened.
Find out what's happening in St. Petefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Troopers say Ava Ippolito, 2, was playing in the yard at the time, but Schmidt failed to see her. As the SUV turned to travel forward out of the yard, it struck the toddler, troopers wrote in a report.
Jacob Ippolito, Ava’s father, was in the front yard at the time of the accident, troopers noted.
Find out what's happening in St. Petefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Ava was taken to Bayfront Medical Center, but later died from her injuries.
Troopers say Jacob Ippolito and Schmidt are friends.
The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.
Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
