A toddler was killed and an infant was seriously injured when a woman driving drunk with 12 people in a sport utility vehicle crashed on I-75 in Manatee County on Saturday, authorities said.
Shameka L. Jones, 24, of Winter Park was driving a 2001 Ford Expedition north on I-75 at mile marker 233 around 5 p.m. when she veered onto the east shoulder. The SUV went airborne, flipped several times and struck several trees, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Three adults and nine children were in the vehicle, and none of the children were restrained. Isaac Solomon, 2, was pronounced dead at South Bay Hospital, and Issah Solomon, 6 months old, was taken to All Children's Hospital with serious injuries. The other seven children were taken to hospitals with minor injuries.
Jones and two other adults, Shawana Jones, 25, and Leonard Green, 44, were also hospitalized with serious injuries. Shameka Jones and Green were wearing seatbelts; troopers weren't sure about Shawana Jones.
Shameka Jones faces charges of DUI manslaughter, DUI injury (nine counts) and DUI serious injury, the FHP said.