Update: 18-Year-Old Dunedin Resident Killed in Hillsborough Ave. Crash

Update Sept. 10, 9:49 p.m.: Sgt. Steve Gaskins of the Florida Highway Patrol says the eastbound lanes of Hillsborough Avenue are now open. The patrol has also released the names of the people in the Chrysler. They are Donald F. Ziccardi, 51, Donald Zaccardi, 71, and Delores Zaccardi, 72. Both men are now in serious condition while Delores Zaccardi remains in critical condition.

Update Sept. 10, 8:30 p.m.: The 18-year-old driver who died in Wednesday’s fatal crash has been identified as Daniel Ernest Mariscal by the Florida Highway Patrol. The names of those injured still have not been released, but the patrol says they remain in critical condition.

Update Sept. 10, 6:57 p.m.:

The Florida Highway Patrol says an 18-year-old Dunedin man was killed in the Wednesday crash on Hillsborough Avenue at Double Branch Road.

The teen was driving a four-door Hyundai eastbound on West Hillsborough Avenue approaching the intersection of Double Branch Road in the center lane when the 4:32 p.m. crash occurred. The teen’s car was directly behind a Ford F250 pickup driven by Christopher Joynes, 25, of Wesley Chapel, who was towing a construction-style trailer. The teen’s car was followed by another vehicle, a BMW SUV driven by Victoria Brady, 29, of Tampa.

As the three eastbound vehicles approached Double Branch Road, the highway patrol said the teen accelerated into the outside lane and passed the pickup truck and then traveled back across the eastbound lanes, cutting off and colliding with the front right of the truck.

The impact between the car and the truck caused the car’s trunk to open, ejecting a tire jack and handle that crashed into the BMW’s front windshield.

After the impact with the truck, the teen’s car traveled northeast across the eastbound lanes and struck the raised center concrete median barrier, the highway patrol said. That caused the car to overturn and become airborne. At this point, the car struck a Chrysler driven by an unidentified 51-year-old man from Tampa that was westbound on Hillsborough. The impact with the Chrysler sent debris and vehicle parts northbound, which then struck a fifth vehicle, a Ford Edge driven by Cory Steven Barron, 26, of Tampa.

The teen was ejected from the vehicle and died on the scene.

The driver of the Chrysler and his passengers, a 71-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman, were all taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital with critical injuries. Their names and the teen’s are being withheld until family members are notified.

Joynes, his passengers, Cody George, 17, of Wesley Chapel, and James Hughes, 33, of Hudson were uninjured. Brady and Barron were also uninjured.

Update Sept. 10, 5:25 p.m.: Sheriff’s Office spokesman Det. Larry McKinnon said that the crash has “been upgraded to fatal.” It is unclear at this time the number of people involved. The Florida Highway Patrol is taking over the investigation.

Earlier:

West Hillsborough Avenue has been closed to traffic near Double Branch Road following a serious injury crash.

Details of the Wednesday afternoon crash are unclear at this time, but Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Larry McKinnon said that at least three vehicles are involved in the wreck, with one on its side.

Westbound Hillsborough has been temporarily closed during the investigation and medical evacuations, he wrote in an email to media sent out at 5:02 p.m.

Motorists are urged to avoid the area for the next few hours.

Stay with Patch for updates as they become available.

Photo Credit: The accident scene courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol.