Tampa plans no changes at triple-fatality intersection

A husband and wife, along with their friend, were killed in a car crash Thursday night in Tampa.

And residents near the crash site, 34th Street and Chelsea Street, said the intersection has been dangerous for years.

According to Tampa Police, a Dodge Charger was heading south on 34th while a Buick was traveling east on Chelsea. Officials said there is a two-way stop sign on Chelsea while traffic on 34th does not have to stop.

The two vehicles collided, killing the occupants of the Buick. The husband, 67-year-old Walter Charles Givens, and his wife, 55-year-old Dione B. Givens, died at the scene. The other passenger in the car, 58-year-old Helen Cummings, who was ejected from the car, died at an area hospital.

Three people also were in the Charger, which was seriously damaged in the crash. Driver Ernest Smith, 20, and his passengers, Patrick Cover, 30, and DeAndre Bugg, 22, were taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. 

Neighbors: Bad intersection

Some people who near the crash scene gathered after the accident, some of them complaining about the intersection. Residents said views at the intersection are obstructed, making it difficult at times to see oncoming traffic.

But the city's transportation manager, Jean Dorzback, said they don't consider the intersection to be dangerous.

"No, not at this time" Dorzback said. "We've gone out and taken a look at it and it's not anything were looking at changing at this point."

Dorzback said the stop sign is visible and people should just be careful.

"We have compared that to our top 40 intersections in the city," Dorzback said. "And that does not make our list. We have other intersections that have many more accidents."

Traffic Crashes at Chelsea Street East and 34th Street North (since 2008)