St. Petersburg

October 10, 2024

News: St. Pete’s Tropicana Field roof totaled by Hurricane Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Even Tropicana Field Stadium’s roof panels were no match for the dangerous Hurricane Milton, as most were torn apart due to the 101 mph winds.

According to Fox 13 News, the winds were strong enough to break through the fiberglass, only sparing two roof panels.

Tropicana Field, while home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays year round, was set to become a temporary housing shelter and evacuation center for St. Petersburg residents. However, due to some concerns about the structural integrity, authorities who okayed the set-up soon called off this project.

October 9, 2024

News: Plane lands in Tampa Bay, sending 3 men to hospital

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Three men, between the ages of 25 to 40, had to go to the hospital after their plane crashed and submerged into Tampa Bay waters Tuesday.

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue told Tampa Bay Times that the four passengers were coming from Albert Whitted Airport, located in downtown St. Petersburg, when their Cherokee private plane, experienced a mechanical failure, causing the plane to descend from the sky.

Immediately after the plane submerged, a good samaritan operating a boat saw what unfolded and rushed to the aid of the four passengers and their small dog, rescuing them all from the area.

October 8, 2024

News: Officials investigate Bay Pines Blvd. crash in St. Pete

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Pinellas County officials are investigating the circumstances behind a Friday afternoon crash on Bay Pines Boulevard East that prompted closures.

First responders announced this collision and closure around 12:56 p.m., WTSP and a Pinellas Traffic X post revealed. All lanes have reopened since.

12:56 PM, Oct 04 2024,

October 7, 2024

News: Lealman fire crews rescue 15 from flooded St. Pete neighborhood

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Lealman firefighters had to rescue 15 people from the flooded 42nd Avenue neighborhood seen along a sea of impacted homes on Friday following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Fire crews did not comment on whether anyone was injured. However, photos from ABC Action News indicate that the impacts of the flooding and aftermath of the hurricane left several belongings scattered across the street – drawers, wardrobes, desks, lumbar, and more all left after the storm. While some homes remain standing, according to the Residential Damage Assessment for Pinellas County for Pinellas County, 10,483 have been negatively impacted after this heavy storm. To date, reports show that 146 homes have been completely destroyed, while 5,187 homes sustained major damage, and 3,718 were left with minor damage. In addition, 1,792 homes were hit by Hurricane Helene, but no structural damage was reported.

Residents in this area, along with thousands in St. Petersburg, are left with no choice but to find new homes.

October 2, 2024

News: 6 hurt, 1 killed in pursuit-multi-auto wreck in St. Pete

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – A Toyota Camry driver declined to pull over for a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and fled the scene, leading to a multi-auto crash that injured six people and claimed one life.

The events unfolded before 3 a.m. Saturday, when for reasons unclear, the Toyota Camry had drifted across several lanes on U.S. 19 South near Seville Boulevard, IONTB.com reports. The trooper saw what occurred, prompting their curiosity regarding why that happened. So when they went to inquire, the Camry driver continued driving away, which began the pursuit.

The chase ended when the Camry struck a Toyota Tundra and a box truck waiting at the 34th Street North and 38th Avenue intersection after attempting to avoid hitting a turning big rig coming from eastbound 38th and entering 34th.

October 1, 2024

News: Woman’s life claimed after Oldsmar auto-pedestrian wreck

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OLDSMAR, FL – First responders took a female pedestrian to a hospital, where she succumbed to fatal wounds after getting struck by a driver Monday.

This collision happened at the Tampa Road and Pine Avenue North junction, along Dairy Queen, WFLA reports. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office received a call to the collision scene after 6 a.m.

Upon arrival, authorities shut down Pine Avenue North and the southbound lanes of Pine and eastbound Tampa for several hours due to the scene clearance and investigation period.

September 30, 2024

News: 146 St. Pete homes destroyed in Hurricane Helene

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – As of Monday, 146 homes in St. Petersburg has been destroyed since Hurricane Helene passed throughout the state of Florida Thursday.

Pinellas County’s residential damage assessment report included this information.

Authorities have not stated whether any residents have suffered any injuries at this time.

September 18, 2024

News: Failure to yield causes fatal car, motorcycle wreck in St. Pete

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – A 24-year-old woman did not yield to an oncoming Harley Davidson, leading her to strike the motorcycle and resulting in her death and the motorcyclist’s Tuesday.

This collision, which happened around 11 p.m., occurred after the woman stopped at a stop sign on westbound 46th Avenue North and then crashed into the motorcyclist going north on Park Street North, WFLA reported.

The impact caused the woman and biker to succumb to fatal wounds at the scene, while an ambulance took the woman’s passenger, a 23-year-old man, also from St. Petersburg to a hospital for serious wounds.

September 13, 2024

News: 1 killed in crash with ejection in St. Pete

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – A driver of a white Ford Ranger was ejected from their vehicle after colliding with a silver Infiniti sedan, which led to their death Wednesday.

The St. Petersburg Police Department told WTSP this crash happened around 10 a.m. at the 51st Street South and Central Avenue Southjunction. Upon arriving, officers shut down both directions for five hours, and an ambulance took the Infinity driver, who was hospitalized for serious wounds.

All closures have been lifted since.

August 23, 2024

News: FHP summoned to hit-and-run in Williamsdale Square

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Florida Highway Patrol was called to a hit-and-run collision at 10:29 a.m. in the Williamsdale Square area.

Troopers said this crash happened at the 113th Street North and 54th Avenue North intersection.

FHP has not yet arrived at the collision site and, therefore, has not been able to comment on the events that led to this crash, provide a description of the suspect and their vehicle, or other details at this time.