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I-4 Crash Kills Woman, 80

Police Lights | Florida | TB Reporter

She was thrown from an SUV when it overturned, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – An 80-year-old woman died Tuesday (March 6) from injuries she received when she was thrown from an SUV during a traffic crash on I-4, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Gertrude Minneman, 80, of Perryville, MD, died at South Florida Baptist Hospital where she was taken after the crash. She was not wearing a seat belt. Thomas R. Stedem Sr., 57, of Lakeland, the SUV driver, and Marvin Minneman, 80, of Perryville, the other passenger in the SUV, were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.The drivers of the other two vehicles involved in the crash were not injured.

The crash closed the left inside lanes of I-4 for several hours.

The crash happened about 3:20 a.m. on eastbound I-4 east of Alexander Street in Hillsborough County.

Troopers said Stedem, who was driving a 2015 Ford Escape, drove onto the inside shoulder to avoid colliding with stopped or stalled traffic. A 2011 Cadillac SRX driven by Gtraciela Gonzalez, 46, of Lakeland, also drove into the inside shoulder.

A 2017 Ford F350 driven by William K. Grimer Jr. of Plant City rear-ended the Ford, which was pushed into the left side of the Cadillac. The Ford overturned and Ms. Minneman was thrown out of the vehicle. The pickup truck partially rotated and also hit the Cadillac.

Florida Highway Patrol | Fatal Crash | Traffic Crash | I-4 Crash | Gertrude Minneman | Tampabay News

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