An 18-month-old baby suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash.

CLEARWATER – At least eight people, including two young children, were sent to hospitals Sunday (Sept. 11) after a four-car traffic crash that closed part of the Courtney Campbell Causeway for hours, Clearwater public safety officials said.

The names of all those involved in the crash were not available. However, Clearwater officials said three female patients went to Tampa General Hospital, including an 18 month old and a 3 year old. The 18 month old, Gabriela Alvarez, suffered life threatening injuries. The 3 year old is in stable condition. Two women and one man were taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. Two others, including the driver of the vehicle that caused the crash, were taken to Mease Countryside Hospital, officials said.

The crash happened about 6:49 p.m. in the westbound lanes of the Courtney Campbell at the intersection with Damscus Road. Officials said Julie Gough, 23, who was driving a Honda CRV told them she took her eyes off the road after dropping a bottle of Gatorade. When she looked back up, she told police, that it was too late to avoid cars ahead of her that had stopped for a red light at Damascus. Her CRV hit the rear of a 2007 Honda Odyssey driven by Alexander Rodriguez, 38, It was pushed into the rear of a 2013 Nissan Altima, driven by Derek Shaffer, 27. The Altima then hit a 1975 Buick LeSabre driven by Darius Postell, 25. Officials said the most seriously injured were those in the Odyssey. Clearwater firefighters had to extricate several people.

For information about the Cleawater police, go to clearwaterpolice.org. For information about Clearwater Fire Rescue, go to myclearwater.com.

Clearwater | Courtney Campbell Crash | Traffic Crash | Tampa Bay Reporter

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