CLEARWATER, Fla. – A late-night, high-speed chain reaction collision on U.S. 19 left four people injured early today and landed a St. Petersburg man behind bars on multiple felony charges.
The wreck happened just before 3 a.m. in the northbound lanes of the highway right near Harn Boulevard. According to Clearwater police, Mario Mounes Rizk, 28, was behind the wheel and moving at an estimated 100 mph when he slammed hard into the back of another vehicle. The initial impact sent his car hurtling into a third vehicle, which was already disabled and sitting on the shoulder of the road.
Four individuals were hurt in the chaos, including two children. First responders transported the injured to local hospitals, though authorities confirmed none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.
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Rizk was arrested at the scene and booked into the Pinellas County Jail. He now faces felony counts of DUI causing serious bodily injury and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury.
The violent collision completely shut down the northbound side of U.S. 19 for roughly three hours while investigators cleared the debris, documented the scene, and pieced together exactly how the crash unfolded. Traffic has since returned to normal.
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