ST. PETERSBURG – A Palm Harbor man traveling the wrong way on Interstate 275 died Sunday night after his vehicle collided head-on with a vehicle driven by a Sarasota man.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Constantine Nicholas Chaconas, 26, collided with Eugene Daniel Liddy, 73, of Sarasota near the 22nd Avenue North exit ramp in St. Petersburg about 10 p.m. Chaconas died on the scene. Liddy suffered serious injuries.
Just before the crash, Chaconas was driving a 1991 Infinity northbound in the wrong direction in the southbound inside lane of I-275, approaching the 22nd Avenue North exit, FHP said. Liddy was driving a 2001 Toyota Solara southbound on I-275 in the inside lane.
The left front of Chaconas' Infinity struck the left front of Liddy's Toyota. After impact, the Infinity started sliding and rotating counter-clockwise in a northerly direction on the inside median before rolling on its passenger side and then its roof.
Liddy’s vehicle also started sliding and rotating counter-clockwise in a southwesterly direction across the southbound center lane, southbound outside lane, then entered the “safety zone” of the 22nd Avenue North exit ramp.
The drivers were wearing seat belts. An alcohol test is pending for Chaconas.
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