St. Petersburg police said alcohol played a role in the six-vehicle crash.

ST. PETERSBURG – A taxi passenger died and the driver suffered serious injuries as the result of a six-vehicle chain-reaction crash on 49th Street, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Heather Scozzaro, 40, died at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, where she was taken after the crash. David Yancey, 47, was also taken to Bayfront with serious injuries. Neither Scozzaro nor Yancey was wearing a seat belt.

Three others John McVey, 78; Barbara Weber, 71; and a third person, whose name was not available, suffered non-life threatening injuries and were taken to area hospitals.

The crash happened at the intersection of 49th Street N and 38th Avenue in St. Petersburg.

Police said Yancey was driving a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria Express taxi south on 49th Street. Ms. Scozzaro was a passenger in the cab. The taxi rear ended a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by McVey that was stopped at a red light at the intersection.

This caused a chain reaction and ultimately four additional vehicles that were stopped at the red light were hit. The Tahoe hit a 2017 Ford Escape driven Weber and a 2017 Chevrolet SS driven by Thomas
Stewart, 57. The Ford Escape was pushed into a 2014 Kia Optima driven by Warren Chase, 85, and the Optima was pushed into a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Beth Johnson, 50.

Officers said alcohol played a role in this crash. The investigation into the crash is ongoing and charges are pending.

St. Petersburg Police | Heather Scozzaro | 49th Street Crash | Tampabay News

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