Suspected DUI Wrong-way Driver On I-275 Causes More Than $250,000 In Damage, Injures 2: FHP

The Brief

A wrong-way driver on I-275 caused $250,000 in damage after a crash involving four vehicles, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Two people were injured in the crash.
When troopers arrived at the scene, they said that the suspect showed signs of impairment.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – A wrong-way driver caused more than $250,000 in damage and sent one woman to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after driving north in the southbound lanes of I-275, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

What we know: Dashcam footage from a Tesla SUV involved in the crash showed the driver, Rontonio Scott, 49, driving head-on into traffic in St. Petersburg.

The crash happened near mile marker 21 – not far from Tropicana Field – on Sunday, Jan. 5, and Scott was arrested on Friday, Jan. 10.

<div>Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.</div> — Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

When troopers arrived at the scene, they said that the suspect showed many signs of impairment, including slurred speech and bloodshot eyes.

Scott told investigators he had just left a bar where he claimed he had two shots of tequila.

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One person inside the Tesla SUV suffered severe injuries, including fractures to his pelvis, femur and ankle, along with significant damage to his liver. He also had to have surgery to remove his spleen, with doctors saying the crash could have long-lasting impacts on his ability to walk.

A second person inside the Tesla suffered minor injuries.