A 22-year-old woman is facing charges of Driving Under the Influence, driving on a suspended license, and leaving the scene of a crash with injuries following allegations that she struck a man riding a scooter. The drunk driving accident occurred Friday night at the intersection of 64th street South and Third Avenue South. The drunk driver rounded the corner and struck the scooter as it went by. According to police the drunk driver left the scooter driver behind and dragged the scooter along underneath her car all the way home. The driver of the scooter is in critical condition.

The lawyers at Beltz and Ruth are investigating several cases in the St. Petersburg and Tampa area involving the Depuy hip replacement system Johnson and Johnson recalled last month. After receiving over 200 reports of post-surgical complications, the company issued a voluntary recall. A recall of medical device is much more complicated than other recalls -- If a manufacturer recalls a part in in a car, you can return to the dealership - but it's not that easy with a surgical implant! Its difficult and often intimidating to determine your future risks and options. Secondary surgeries involve additional recovery time, difficult rehabilitation work and chances for additional complications. You don't have to answer these questions alone. If you or a loved one has experienced complications or have received a notification that you have a recalled implant, please call the experienced St. Petersburg hip replacement recall lawyers at 1-800-931-8106

Ray Anthony cranes have been ordered off the road by federal inspectors at a rate higher than the average, according to investigation following Thursday's six-car pileup on Hillsborough Avenue at 56th Street.

Hillsoborough sheriff's deputy Deborah Walker, who was seriously injured in the accident, is now in fair condition. Various citations have been lodged against the crane company over the last year, at a rate significantly over the average, including complaints of employees lacking medical records, flat tires, and weight limit problems.

Inspectors suspect that the brakes failed on the 41-ton crane involved in Thursday's accident. Witnesses to the crash say that they saw a mattress left in the road get wedged under the crane, which may have contributed to the driver's inability to stop.

According to police, Hernando County Administrator David Hamilton was issued a citation last August 27 for careless driving.

The ticket was issued in connection with a minor accident at the intersection of Mildred and Jefferson streets, wherein Hamilton reached in the back seat for his satchel and his foot slipped off the break. His car rolled forward, bumping into the rear of the vehicle in front. No damage was sustained to either vehicle.

A county-policy mandated drug test following the accident returned no negative results.

"Lesson learned,'' Hamilton said of the incident noting he would pay his $149 fine and attend traffic school. "I am going to be a much more careful driver.''

Luckily, nobody was hurt in this accident. If you or someone you know has been injured by a reckless driver, contact the Reckless Driving Accident Attorneys of Beltz & Ruth at 1-800-931-8106.

Police have identified a Fort Myers woman killed in a St. Petersburg car accident Wednesday.

According to officials with the Florida Highway Patrol, 77 year-old Karen Hay was killed Wednesday afternoon when her vehicle crossed the center lane of interstate 75 and slammed into an oncoming truck near North Port. Police say Hay was driving south near mile marker 180 shortly before 2:00 p.m. when her vehicle drifted out of the southbound lanes, crossed the median, and moved into the path of a northbound semi-tractor-trailer.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Sarasota-resident Ramiro Vidal, swerved toward the shoulder to avoid a collision, but the front of Hay's car collided with the truck, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson said.

Hay was transported by Bayflite to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg following the crash, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

The northbound lanes of Interstate 75 were closed for two hours while crews worked to clean up the accident.