A second crash happened when another driver failed to stop for an ambulance that had come to help, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

PASCO COUNTY – Two 13-year-old girls were taken to area hospitals after an early morning crash that followed a police chase, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Both teens were from Holiday. Their names are being withheld because of their ages. FHP troopers said the girl who was driving was taken to Trinity Hospital with minor injuries. The passenger was taken to All Children’s Hospital with serious injuries.

Also taken to Trinity Hospital with minor injuries were Pasco firefighters Philip Larkin, 45, of New Port Richey, and Shawn Olsen, 24, of Land O Lakes. The two were in an ambulance responding to the crash.

Cited for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle was Jack Barrier, 80, of Kernersville, NC. Neither he nor his passenger, Barbara Barrier, also of Kernersville, was injured.

The crash happened about 4:15 this morning (March 20) on U.S. 19 at Darlington Road. Pasco County sheriff’s deputies had been pursuing a 2007 Hyundai Sonata, which was eastbound on Darlington. The driver lost control of the Sonata and hit a power pole, troopers said.

An ambulance from Pasco County Fire Rescue came to the scene to treat the teens. It was hit in the U.S. 19 and Darlington intersection by a 2005 Nissan Altima driven by Barrier, who failed to yield to the emergency vehicle, troopers said. Barrier was cited for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.

The FHP is investigating the crash. The Pasco sheriff is handling all criminal charges.

For information about the FHP, go to flhsmv.gov. For information about the Pasco sheriff, go to pascosheriff.com.

Florida Highway Patrol | Pasco Sheriff | Police Chase | Teens Hurt | Ambulance Crash | TB Reporter

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