Car slams into beer truck in fiery crash

ST. PETERSBURG -- A car slammed into a Budweiser truck early this morning at 38th Avenue and 16th Street N in St. Petersburg.

About 4:30 a.m., a brand-new blue Chevy Cobalt ran the light at 38th Avenue after the driver spotted a police cruiser nearby, said Pete Hoambrecker, communication supervisor for the St. Petersburg Police Department. It slammed into the beer truck waiting at the intersection and burst into flames, Hoambrecker said. Police and a civilian pulled three people from the burning car: one passenger seriously injured and the driver and other passenger with minor injuries. They were taken to Bayfront Medical Center. The driver of the beer truck was not injured.

Police spokesman Bill Proffitt called Officers Mariuse Linowski and Shelia Desich heroes because they rescued the three people from the car and then tried to put out the fire, albeit unsuccessfully, with extinguishers from their cars before firefighters arrived. Linowski and Desich had no protective gear and risked burns. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue will recognize Linowski, Desich and the civilian who helped them, Ray Ott, at an awards ceremony, Lt. Joel Granata wrote in an e-mail.

A load of sand was being sent to the scene to clean up spilled liquid. Hoambrecker said the liquid could be beer and probably was not fuel.

The Cobalt was not reported stolen, Hoambrecker said. He said he driver and passengers would be questioned, and the owner of the car -- if different -- would be notified.

The road has been cleared and is open to traffic.

Kim Wilmath, Times staff writer

Photos provided by St. Petersburg Fire Rescue

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