Pinellas Park Police Department
Report number – 2007-11999
Fatal Traffic Crash Involving Road Construction Equipment,
"Track-Hoe" operator charged with vehicular manslaughter
On Saturday, April 21, 2007, at approximately 8:24 p.m., police and fire rescue units were called to the scene of a traffic crash in the 11300 block of U.S. 19 involving two cars and a "track-hoe".
The traffic homicide investigators have determined that the "track-hoe" operator was traveling northbound in the outside southbound lane of U.S.19. Witnesses said the "track-hoe" had no lights on. The driver of a 1995 Ford pick up truck, southbound on U.S. 19 in the outside lane of U.S. 19, apparently swerved to avoid the "track-hoe". The bucket portion of the "track-hoe" stuck the passenger front and side of the truck, causing the truck to spin, roll and eventually come to rest on its roof approximately 300 feet south of the initial impact.
A 1995 Buick four-door, also traveling south swerved to avoid impact with the truck and collided head-on with a traffic attenuator, attached to the end of the concrete barricades, dividing the road.
The driver of the pick-up truck had to be extricated from the wreckage by fire-rescue and was deceased on scene. The driver of the Buick was transported to Bayfront Medical Center with serious, but non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the "track-hoe" was uninjured.
The "track-hoe" operator initially left the scene of the crash returned shortly after informing his supervisor at his worksite. Representatives from the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office were on scene to evaluate the circumstances.
Palma-Trejo was arrested for vehicular manslaughter and booked into the Pinellas County Jail with no bond.
Investigators were told the "track-hoe" was being driven to an area North of 118 Avenue and U.S. 19 for work being conducted on phone equipment by a subcontracted company.
"Track-hoe operator": (uninjured)
Augustin Palma-Trejo, Hispanic male, 19 years old
407- 7th Avenue
Largo, FL
Buick Driver: (serious, but non-life threatening injuries)
Rita Todd, white female, 60 years old
521 75 Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL
Ford Truck Driver:
Donald Cochran, White Male, 58 years old
12394-113 St. N.
Largo, FL
Traffic Homicide Investigator: B.T. Touart
Release by: Lieutenant Paul Andrews (727) 541-0787
