On the night of Sunday, March 2, a total of three vehicle occupants were hospitalized in an automobile accident that took place on Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg. Of the three people injured, one driver apparently swerved into oncoming traffic and was rushed away from the scene by an ambulance after suffering “life-threatening” injuries, according to St. Petersburg police.
Police officers said Gregory Lester Grant, age 26 of Pinellas Park, was driving his late model Mercury minivan heading east near the 6800 block of Central Avenue close to 10:45 p.m. that Sunday night. Without warning, Grant suddenly began to veer across the roadway and into the opposite lane, according to the police accident report.
A Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, driven by Terry Wesley Gue, age 59, was travelling westbound. As Gue saw the swerving minivan in the road ahead, he tried to slow down and dodge the oncoming vehicle. Despite the pickup truck driver’s efforts, Grant slammed into the Tacoma, injuring both Gue and his passenger, Diane Gue, age 63. The couple had been driving in from their home on Treasure Island.
The couple was reported to be in serious condition and both were taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. At the scene of the traffic crash, Grant “exhibited numerous indicators of impairment,” according to St. Petersburg police officers, who promptly initiated a DUI investigation.
Grant was also taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg and treated for life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the crash was still in progress the next day and police are believed to have ordered a full toxicology report to confirm whether alcohol was in fact a contributing factor in the crash. It was not made clear whether Grant was cited or charged in connection with the accident.
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