An off-duty Hillsborough County deputy was left with serious injuries following a head-on collision on the I-275 Skyway Bridge late Wednesday night, involving a wrong-way driver who was later apprehended and charged with multiple offenses. The incident, occurring just before 10 p.m., was reportedly initiated when a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper attempted to stop the driver identified as 25-year-old Yosman Alexander Ixpata Xitumul of Brandon. Xitumul was seen driving a red Dodge Ram northbound in the southbound lanes, according to WTSP.
A PIT maneuver attempt by the trooper failed to stop Xitumul, who continued to flee at high speed, eventually colliding with the deputy's vehicle near the 17-milepost. The deputy's name was not disclosed. The suspect, after the crash, fled the scene on foot but was later captured by St. Petersburg Police officers, as stated by FOX 13 News.
After being taken into custody, it was found that the suspect's blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit, indicating significant impairment. Xitumul was brought to the hospital for injuries sustained in the collision and is facing a series of charges, which include DUI with serious injury, reckless driving, and aggravated fleeing, as reported by the Tampa Free Press.
