A 37-year-old man prepping a Grand Prix monument was critically injured after being struck by a suspected DUI driver in St. Petersburg, officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department reported. The incident involved a man identified as Michael Aoun, 34, who was behind the wheel of a red Chrysler minivan when he reportedly lost control of the vehicle while speeding on Dali Boulevard Southeast, around 8 p.m. last night.
Aoun's minivan veered off the road, crossing into bicycle lanes before it collided with a statue and a light pole, eventually hitting the pedestrian. The victim was engaged in placing flags down in a median lane when the crash occurred, as detailed by WFLA. He was transported to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition. Aoun now faces charges for driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury and reckless driving causing bodily injury.
According to the FOX13 News report, the alleged DUI driver was taken into custody following the crash. Traffic investigators determined that intoxication was indeed a factor in this event which led to the casualty. Details on the victim's current health status have not been provided beyond the notification of critical injuries.
The incident took place in proximity to the Dali Museum, near Bayshore Drive Southeast. In addition to the formal charges, the St. Petersburg Police Department's investigation revealed the extensive damage caused – to not only the pedestrian but to public property, including an pública statue and a light pole, before the van came to a stop.
