1 dead in four-car crash in Palm Harbor after “improper lane change,” cops say

An “improper lane change” led to a four-vehicle collision Thursday afternoon that ultimately killed a Texas woman in Pinellas County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

According to a news release from Pinellas County, the accident was reported on East Lake Road in Palm Harbor just before 4 p.m.

According to police, a 21-year-old man from Clearwater was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe northbound in the outside lane of East Lake Road. South of Eagle Cove Boulevard, the man “made an improper lane change to avoid stationary traffic,” the Highway Patrol said in a news release.

The man crashed into a northbound Chevy Camaro driven by a 39-year-old woman from San Antonio, Texas. After the initial collision, the Tahoe moved north of the accident scene and came to rest westbound on Eagle Cove Boulevard, the release said.

The Camaro entered the southbound lanes of East Lake Road where it was struck by a Ford Expedition driven by a 59-year-old woman from New Port Richey. The Camaro then entered the path of a Hummer H2, driven by a 54-year-old man from New Port Richey, and was struck again.

The San Antonio woman was taken to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries, the release said. According to police, the driver of the Tahoe was uninjured, while the drivers of the Ford and Hummer suffered minor injuries.

East Lake Road was closed for over two hours Thursday afternoon between the intersections of Village Center Drive and Ridgemoor Boulevard and Lansbrook Parkway and Cypress Woods Boulevard. The roads were reopened shortly before 6:30 p.m., the district said in a news release.

The Highway Patrol did not release any further information, including whether the driver of the Tahoe would be cited or charged.