Crash sends driver to hospital

A 21-year-old male was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital Tuesday with minor injuries after a collision on 50th Street at the intersection of East Holly Drive on the east side of campus.

The accident occurred at about 12:13 p.m. when USF junior Charity Hodges, heading north, collided with Josh Fuchs because he violated the right of way when turning onto East Holly Drive, said Deputy L. Phillip for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department.Fuchs, who was driving a Mitsubishi 3000GT, was on his way to USF to get information about enrollment.

Dave Liller, public editor for USF’s College of Engineering, said he saw the accident as he was pulling up to the stop sign on Holly Drive and looked to the left and saw Hodges, driving a BMW 328I, heading northbound on 50th Street.

“The next thing I know is I heard a bang, and I saw her car smashed right in,” Liller said. “She wasn’t going fast or anything.”

As Fuchs stepped out of his vehicle, he said he felt, “OK”, at first, according to Liller but then complained he was having chest pains.

“He started to rub his chest and became real shaky,” Liller said.

Liller said he called 911 and the paramedics arrived at the scene in about five minutes.

“They told me to have him lay down and not move,” Liller said.Tony Diaz, a paramedic for Hillsborough County who treated Fuchs at the scene, said he didn’t think Fuchs’ injuries were serious.

“He had chest pains, probably from the seatbelt,” he said. “It’s more of a mental shock that he just had a car accident, I think.”

Hodges said she was driving the speed limit and thought Fuchs increased his speed as he was trying to cross her lane.

“He must have punched it when he cut in front of me,” Hodges said.

Fuchs could not be reached for comment.

Phillip said Fuchs was charged with violating the right of way. And Hodges was issued a ticket for failing to provide proof of insurance at the scene of an accident.

Phillip said he thought both cars were traveling the speed limit.

“And unfortunately, they just met in the middle,” he said.

Contact Rachel Pleasant at oraclepleasant@yahoo.com

Contact Grace Agostinat oraclegrace@yahoo.com