Wrong-way driver critically injured in fiery Pinellas I-275 crash

A woman who was driving the wrong way on Interstate 275 in Pinellas County early Sunday morning was critically injured when her vehicle hit a van nearly head on, the Florida Highway Patrol reports.

The crash occurred at 3:11 a.m. just north of 38th Avenue N. Troopers said a 33-year-old St. Petersburg woman was driving a sport-utility vehicle north in the southbound lanes when she hit the van, which was driven by a 62-year-old woman from Bradenton.

The crash caused the sport utility vehicle to catch fire. Troopers said the SUV driver suffered critical injuries, while the woman driving the van was not injured. Both were wearing seatbelts, troopers said.

Troopers said it’s unknown for how long the woman in the SUV had been driving the wrong way. The crash closed the southbound lanes until 7:13 a.m., troopers said.

The Highway Patrol did not release the names of the people involved.