Dunedin Man Accused Of Crashing Into Crane, Killing Woman Passenger

CLEARWATER, FL — A Dunedin man has been charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide after police said he crashed into a crane in a construction zone Thursday night, killing a woman passenger in his Jeep Grand Cherokee.

According to Clearwater police, at 11:23 p.m., Bryant Mendoza, 46, was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee through a closed construction zone in the northbound lanes of U.S. 19 at Harn Boulevard when he struck the crane.

The crash killed the 37-year-old woman passenger in the Cherokee.

A witness told police that Mendoza was speeding at the time, said Clearwater police.

The northbound lanes of U.S. 19 were closed for several hours while the investigation was in progress.

After the crash, Mendoza was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg to be treated for minor injuries and was later booked into the Pinellas County Jail.