***UPDATE***
The Florida Highway Patrol has been notified that on Friday, December 26, one of the passengers that was involved in the Christmas crash--82-year-old Arminda C. Martins--has died.
FHP will continue to investigate the incident and await official toxicology results. As of now, no charges have been filed.
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Pinellas County, Florida -- A wrong-way crash on Christmas morning has left two people dead.
According to reports the wrong-way car, driven by Paul Pulkownik, was traveling westbound on Park Boulevard in the eastbound lanes approaching 131st Street North. When he approached the intersection he collided head-on with another car carrying Isabel Martins, Joao Martins and Arminda Martins.
After colliding with the first car Pulkownik sideswiped another car being drive by Matthew Martins.
All three cars came to rest in the travel lanes of Park Boulevard.
Isabel Martins sustained fatal injuries and died on scene. Joao Martins died an hour later at Bayfront Medical Center.
FHP is still investigating. Alcohol is involved.
Growing list of wrong-way crashes, arrests
There have been several highly publicized incidents of wrong way drivers in the Bay area in recent months, including several deadly crashes:
On February 9, four University of South Florida fraternity brothers died when a drunk driver crashed into them head-on near Busch Boulevard The wrong-way driver was also killed.
On August 13, Hillsborough County deputies arrested Jason Fulford as he drove the wrong way down the very same highway, before getting off at Busch Boulevard and crashing.
Two days later, Edward Duran allegedly drove the wrong way down Interstate 275 and crashed into an ambulance near Floribraska Avenue.
Early on the morning of September 21, terrified drivers called 911 to report they were dodging a wrong-way driver on the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, near I-75. Troopers arrested Kevin Smisor, a high school teacher, was arrested for DUI and driving the wrong way.
The very next day, 25-year-old Jessica Rey Mahn was killed after crashing head-on with a tractor trailer after she drove the wrong way on I-75 in Pasco County.
On October 1, the Florida Highway Patrol pulled over a woman driving the wrong-way on the Veterans Expressway and Suncoast Parkway. She was arrested for DUI.
And once again, on the very next day, another woman was arrested for driving the wrong way on the Suncoast Parkway... by the same Trooper who made the arrest a day earlier.
More recently, a construction worker was able to stop another wrong-way driver on Interstate 275 in Tampa, fortunately before any crashes or injuries happened.
Then in an unusual set of circumstances, the wife of a tow truck driver was hit and killed on the scene of a wrong-way crash in Pasco County on December 8.
Sgt. Steve Gaskins with FHP says the Florida Department of Transportation is working to make it as hard as possible for someone to head the wrong way on the interstate.
"DOT is looking at other signage and other equipment to further warn drivers," Gaskins said. "But when they are already impaired, there's not much anyone can do."
He says you can keep yourself safe by not being distracted while driving, no texting in case a wrong way driver was to end up in your lane.
