Crime & Safety

Toddler Hurt In I-275 Crash With Woman Accused Of DUI: Troopers

Cocaine was found in a car that hit a guardrail Tuesday in St. Pete, and resulted in a 3-year-old passenger being injured, police said.

Skyla Luckey's profile picture
Skyla Luckey, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
A St. Petersburg woman faces multiple charges after deputies accused her of possession of cocaine, driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and others following a single-vehicle crash she was in along Interstate-275.
A St. Petersburg woman faces multiple charges after deputies accused her of possession of cocaine, driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and others following a single-vehicle crash she was in along Interstate-275. (Florida Highway Patrol )

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A toddler sustained serious injuries in a St. Petersburg crash along Interstate-275 Tuesday evening when the driver of the car, who is accused of driving under the influence, slammed into a light pole near mile marker 26, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

After the car hit the light pole near southbound I-275, it spun and smashed into a guardrail and then bounced off the guardrail and spun again hitting the guardrail a second time, according to detectives. The suspect, 47-year-old Trisha Dale of St. Petersburg, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence with serious injury, driving while license suspended, neglect of a child involving great bodily harm, possession of cocaine, and a warrant for failure to appear on a traffic summons. She was also cited for careless driving and no car seat, troopers said.

The three-year-old girl was last listed in critical condition, according to deputies.

Find out what's happening in St. Petefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from St. Pete