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Major accident closes I-275 south from 38th Avenue N to 22nd Avenue N

 
A major traffic accident ties up all lanes on Interstate 275 southbound between 38th Avenue North and 22nd Avenue North in Pinellas County on Wednesday. [OCTAVIO JONES   |   Times]
A major traffic accident ties up all lanes on Interstate 275 southbound between 38th Avenue North and 22nd Avenue North in Pinellas County on Wednesday. [OCTAVIO JONES | Times]
Published July 2, 2014

A major accident closed southbound Interstate 275 between 38th Avenue N and 22nd Avenue N about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The crash involved five vehicles, and no one suffered serious injuries, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Authorities said Erik Chevere-Figueroa, 31, of Tampa, was driving in a Honda with a passenger at a high rate of speed in the center lane of the freeway. Chevere-Figueroa crashed as he tried pass a Mercury, driven by Richard D. Nicholls, 54, of St. Petersburg.

Chevere-Figueroa's car then crashed into a Jeep in the far left lane, and into two other vehicles.

Chevere-Figueroa and his passenger, Andrea M. Bledsoe, 28, of Land O' Lakes, received

minor injuries and were taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. The driver of the Jeep, Sidney D. Johnson, 72, of Lake Placid, was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries. No one else involved in the crash was injured.

Bay News 9 reported the accident caused congestion as far north as Gandy Boulevard. "Onlooker delays" were also reported in northbound lanes.