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St. Petersburg Man Dies in Wrong-Way Crash on I-4

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A Polk City man has been charged with DUI manslaughter, the Florida Highway Patrol says.

POLK COUNTY – A St. Petersburg man died early today (Jan. 14) in a head-on crash on I-4 in Polk County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Demerrio Alistaire Tobler, 32, of St. Petersburg, died at the scene. Travis Wade Coats, 24, of Polk City, and Emily Jean Smart, 23, of Lakeland, who were driving other vehicles involved in the crash, were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

Coats was arrested and charged with DUI manslaughter and DUI property damage, troopers said.

The crash, which happened about 3:13 a.m., closed a portion of I-4 for about five hours. Troopers said Coats was driving a 2005 Dodge Ram west in the eastbound lanes of I-4 and collided head on with a 2016 Ford Fusion that Mr. Tobler was driving. Smart, who was driving a 2014 Ford Fiesta eastbound, also hit the Ram.

For information about the FHP, go to flhsmv.gov.

Florida Highway Patrol | Wrong-Way Crash | I-4 Crash | Demerrio Alistaire Tobler | Fatal Accident | TB Reporter

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