Boy, 14, Crashes Explorer On I-4 Injuring 7 People

TAMPA, FL — The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a Saturday night crash on Interstate 4 that left seven people, including a 14-year-old driver, injured.

According to the agency, a 14-year-old boy was driving a 2000 Ford Explorer westbound on Interstate 4 just after 7 p.m. April 15. As the boy's vehicle approached mile marker four, troopers say he attempted to change from the outside to the center lane. At that point, the boy realized there was a vehicle in the center lane “and over-corrected to avoid a collision,” a highway patrol report said.

The boy lost control of the Ford, which then left the road and struck an outside barrier wall. The boy and his mother, Amanda Teresa Rossiter, 32, both suffered serious injuries in the crash. Louis Gabino Serrano Soto, 34, also suffered serious injuries as did his 3-year-old daughter, 6-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, troopers said. A 16-year-old boy, a friend of the 14-year-old, suffered minor injuries the report said.

The 14-year-old, who is not being identified by Patch due to his age, was charged with careless driving and driving without a license. Troopers say additional charges are pending the outcome of its investigation.

The crash closed westbound I-4 lanes for several hours Saturday night.

No further information is available at this time.

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Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol