Northbound lanes of U.S. 19 open at Curlew Road again

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PALM HARBOR -- The two outside northbound lanes of U.S. 19 north have reopened after being blocked by a car accident as of 6:30 a.m., according to Florida Highway Patrol. One minor injury was reported.

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Disabled vehicle cleared at southbound U.S. 19 and 126th Avenue in Clearwater

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CLEARWATER -- A disabled vehicle has been removed from the left southbound lane of U.S. 19 at 126th Avenue, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

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Coast Guard recovers body of woman who jumped from Sunshine Skyway this morning

UPDATE

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has identified the woman as Arcadia Miriam Moyer, 19, of St. Petersburg.

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Coast Guard has recovered the body of an unidentified woman who jumped from the Sunshine Skyway early this morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office and St. Petersburg Fire Rescue.

Coast Guard helicopters found the body of an unidentified five-ft 2-in. woman floating in the water about four miles from the bridge at 7:28 a.m., nearly two hours after the first reports of a suspicious vehicle at the top of the bridge.

"I know there was a strong current and plus it was night. It hampered their search," said Lt. Joel Granata, spokesman for St. Petersburg Fire Rescue. "Time is of the essence."

A marine unit from St. Petersburg Fire Rescue recovered the body and took it to the nearby O'Neill's Marina.

Officials checked the vehicle abandoned at the top of the bridge and found the woman's personal effects, including her driver license and wallet.

This is the second time this month someone jumped from the 5.5 mile long Skyway bridge.

On May 4, a 41-year old Bradenton woman jumped 200 feet and survived but suffered life-threatening injuries.

According to jumperpool.com there have been two suicides, four possibles, two saves and one survivor from the Skyway this year.

Earlier this year, the St. Petersburg Times reported on the growing number of suicides and people calling suicide hotlines.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported more suicides were attempted in 2008 than in any year since 2000. That year, 29 people threatened to jump off the bridge, nine were fatal. In 2007, 18 people made attempts to jump. 

In 1999, six red crisis phones were installed connecting users to a suicide hotline.

Call 911 or 211 to reach the nearest crisis center or toll-free, 1-800-273-8255, to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

In 2001, Florida Department of Transportation spent nearly $1-million installing 17 surveillance cameras along the bridge.

Brant James, Jared Leone, Times staff writer

Five car pileup closes eastbound lanes of SR 54

State troopers at the scene of a crash that caused a fuel spill on State Road 54 near Collier Parkway. [KERI WIGINTON | Times]

Florida Highway Patrol are working to reopen all lanes on the eastbound side of State Road 54 at Collier Parkway after a five vehicle accident closed the road to traffic for the last three hours.

A tractor trailer failed to see cars stopped ahead and rear ended another semi which rear ended three more vehicles.

One eastbound lane is open while crews clean oil and fuel spilled during the accident.

Five people were transported to University Community Hospital Fletcher with minor injuries.

Belleair Beach Causeway Bridge open

[JIM DAMASKE | Times]

The much-anticipated Belleair Beach Causway Bridge opened as scheduled this morning, according to local authorities. The bridge serves as a major artery from the mainland to barrier islands.

Man suffers diabetic incident, drives vehicle off Pinellas Bayway

ST. PETERSBURG -- A man drove his truck off the Pinellas Bayway last night, landing upside down in the water after losing consciousness because low blood sugar, according to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue spokesman Lt. Joel Granata.

  The Ford F-150 Crewcab pickup truck slammed into a guard rail, launching it into the air "some 40-50 feet" over fishermen's heads below, according to Lt. Jake Nyhart, who was on the scene. The truck landed in "knee-deep" water. Paramedics from St. Petersburg Beach Fire Department treated the man and transported him to a local hospital.

Brant James, Times staff writer

Belleair bridge closes at 7 tonight, reopens Friday morning

The Belleair Beach Causeway Bridge will close to traffic at 7 tonight to allow workers to prepare for the opening of the new main channel bridge in the morning.

But don't worry - the new bridge is expected to open in time for the Friday commute (weather permitting, of course).

Driver dies after rear-ending garbage truck in Tampa

TAMPA -- A Tampa man died this morning after rear-ending a garbage truck.

Anthony Samz, 51, of Tampa was driving his 2003 Dodge truck eastbound on Bearss Avenue near East Lake Boulevard just after 5:30 a.m.

Good idea to avoid Dale Mabry near Lutz Lake Fern Road

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Crews still are working to clear debris to get Dale Mabry Highway near Van Dyke and Lutz Lake Fern Road open after extreme weather downed nine poles, damaged seven others and knocked out power for about 5,300 Tampa Electric Company customers last night, blocking lanes on Dale Mabry Highway.

While power is restored to most residents, only one southbound lane on the normally busy road is open for traffic. The road is expected to be open by tomorrow.

Rick Morera, TECO spokesman, said a 25-member crew will work around the clock to replace insulators and transmission poles in order to get both southbound lanes of Dale Mabry Highway open by rush hour traffic tomorrow morning. One northbound lane still is planned to be closed.

"It's an extremely time-consuming process," Morera said.

Morrera said that 12 commercial customers still are without power.

Piles of creosote poles were along Dale Mabry Highway. About 10 trucks including eight bucket trucks were on scene to replace the wood poles with steel ones and ceramic insulators with polymer ones.

Jared Leone, Times staff writer

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Woman pulled from water after single-car accident on Bayside Bridge

[Photo: Eamonn Kneeshaw]

CLEARWATER -- A woman was rescued from Old Tampa Bay after her single-car accident blocked at least one southbound lane of the Bayside Bridge around 6 a.m. Sixteen units, including three marine and one from the Coast Guard, were originally called to what Florida Highway Patrol initially described as a "suicide attempt." The woman has been taken to St. Joseph's, authorities said.

Brant James, Times staff writer