FHP troopers said they arrested the wrong-way driver after he was discharged from the hospital. They said they charged him with DUI-serious injury.

PINELLAS COUNTY – Both drivers were seriously injured in a wrong-way crash this morning (Nov. 1) on the Howard Frankland Bridge, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Andy Andreia Cuff Jr. of St. Petersburg was seriously injured. Troopers said he had been drinking. After he was discharged from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa where he was taken after the crash, FHP troopers arrested him. Cuff was charged with one count each of DUI-serious injury and driving in the wrong direction.

The other driver, Andrea Nicole Rusch, 24, of Tampa, who was in critical condition. She was also taken to St. Joseph’s.

The crash happened about 1:50 a.m. on the northbound Howard Frankland near mile post 34 in Pinellas County.

Troopers said Cuff was driving a 2008 Chrysler 300 south in the northbound lanes when he collided nearly head on with the 2013 Hyundai driven by Rusch.

The crash closed the northbound Howard Frankland for several hours. The outside and center lanes reopened about 6:30 a.m. All lanes were reopened by about 7:04 a.m.

Photos courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Florida Highway Patrol | Wrong-Way Crash | Head-On Crash | Howard Frankland Crash | Tampabay News

#FloridaHighwayPatrol #WrongWayCrash #HeadOnCrash #HowardFranklandCrash #TampabayNews