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Grandfather dies, newborn survives after being thrown from car in Gandy Boulevard N crash, troopers say

The newborn was in his car seat and only suffered minor injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
 
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Check tampabay.com for the latest breaking news and updates. [ Photo illustration by ASHLEY DYE and LUIS SANTANA | Times ]
Published April 25, 2021|Updated April 25, 2021

ST. PETERSBURG — A grandfather was killed but his newborn grandson survived after both were thrown from a car in a head-on collision Saturday, troopers say.

The crash took place about 3:30 p.m. on Gandy Boulevard N, just west of Oak Street NE, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A St. Petersburg family was in a car headed west on Gandy Boulevard N. The driver was a 22-year-old man and in the passenger seat was a 22-year-old woman. In the backseat was their 14-day old infant son and his 47-year-old grandfather. The infant was in a car seat that was not secured to the vehicle, troopers say.

Then the left front tire of their car separated, according to the Highway Patrol, causing the father to lose control. The car crossed the median, entered eastbound Gandy Boulevard N and collided with a SUV driven by an 18-year-old from Tampa.

Both the grandfather and infant were thrown from the car. The grandfather suffered fatal injuries and died at the crash scene, according to the Highway Patrol. But the infant, still in his car seat, suffered minor injuries.

The 22-year-old father was not wearing a seatbelt, but the 22-year-old mother was. The Tampa 18-year-old was also wearing a seatbelt. All three suffered minor injuries.

The Highway Patrol did not release the names of anyone involved in the crash due to its interpretation of Marsy’s Law, an amendment to Florida’s Constitution that was meant to protect crime victims but deprives the public of information that had long been available under the state’s public records laws.