Update: Girl Struck By Car on Bloomingdale Avenue Identified

A Guinta Middle School student was struck by a car on Bloomingdale Avenue near La Brisas Drive in Riverview, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

She has been taken to Tampa General Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

______________

Update Posted 11:15 a.m.

The Giunta student has been identified as Andrea Bower, 13, of 3428 Buckhorn Springs Rd., Riverview. The driver of the Ford SUV in the crash has been identified as Stephanie Lynn Akins, 30, of 4922 Chatham Gate Dr., Riverview.

At the scene, Larry McKinnon, a sheriff’s spokesman, said Bower normally catches the bus to Giunta at Bloomingdale Avenue and Buckhorn Springs Road between Kings Avenue and Watson Road. This morning, however, she missed the bus and attempted to catch it when it looped back west on Bloomingdale to pick up students at Bloomingdale and La Brisas Drive.

Bower was struck at 8:31 a.m as she crossing the center westbound lane of Bloomingdale. She was then dragged 20 feet, McKinnon said. Akins reportedly attempted to brake but could not do so in time.

Akins had two of her small children in the car and is fully cooperating. She has submitted to a voluntary blood draw. Speed or alcohol does not appear to be a factor.

There were several kids at the bus stop waiting to get picked up who witnessed the crash. School officials immediately responded to the scene and will be working with those students as well as other students at Giunta Middle School.

The parents of the girl and school officials have been notified. Traffic homicide investigators are on the scene and will be heading up the
investigation.

The sheriff's office warns that traffic in this area could be tied up for several hours while the crash is investigated.

"Traffic in the area is extremely congested. Both lanes are down to one lane in each direction," said sheriff's spokesman Larry McKinnon. "Motorists should avoid the area and take an alternate route."