A multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Citrus Drive and US Highway 19 North in Palm Harbor drew a second-alarm medical response Friday evening, July 31, signaling that more ambulances and personnel were needed beyond the standard first-alarm assignment.
The crash involved multiple vehicles at the intersection also known as Innisbrook Drive and US-19, a high-traffic corridor near the Innisbrook Resort.
Tampa Bay breaking news monitor IONTB.COM posted about the incident on X at approximately 6:37 p.m., including a photo from the scene. IONTB monitors emergency scanner traffic but is not an official government source.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, which polices Palm Harbor, had not released details about the number of people injured, the severity of those injuries or the cause of the crash as of press time. The Florida Highway Patrol, which typically investigates serious crashes on state roads, also had not issued a public report.
US-19 crash history
The incident occurred on a stretch of road with a well-documented safety problem. US-19 in Pinellas County recorded 94 fatalities from 2020 through 2022, the most recent period available, making it the deadliest road by county in all of Florida according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data cited by ConsumerAffairs.
Forward Pinellas, the county's metropolitan planning organization, has identified seven crash hotspots along the corridor. Speed limits of 45 to 50 mph, heavy commercial driveways and constant merging traffic compound the danger.
Pinellas County logged 696 fatal and serious-injury crashes in 2024, down from 1,119 in 2016, according to Forward Pinellas. Still, about 5% of the county's roadways account for 60% to 70% of all fatal and serious-injury crashes.
The Tampa Bay region ranks among the top 10 most dangerous U.S. metropolitan areas for pedestrians, according to a Smart Growth America report cited by Forward Pinellas.
Anyone with information about the July 31 crash can contact the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at (727) 582-6200 or the Florida Highway Patrol at FHP (347).
