TAMPA, Fla. — Two men were killed Sunday morning when they were hit by an oncoming vehicle while tending to a blown-out tire on the side of Interstate 275, just north of Fowler Avenue in Tampa.
According the Florida Highway Patrol, a man driving an SUV stopped the vehicle on the outside northbound shoulder of the highway early Sunday morning because of a blown-out front tire. The man, 73, had a 69-year-old female passenger in the front seat.
A 30-year-old man, who was a friend of the driver, arrived to offer assistance, according to an FHP report.
Around 7:45 a.m., as the two men were standing on the driver’s side of the vehicle, a sedan driving north left its lane and collided with both men and the SUV, the report states.
Police said the driver of the sedan, a 36-year-old man, fell asleep at the wheel, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. He, along with a 33-year-old male passenger, did not suffer any injuries, police said.
Both the 73-year-old man and the 30-year-old man who were addressing the tire issue were killed. The 69-year-old woman was seated in the passenger seat of the parked SUV at the time of the crash and did not suffer injuries.
Police are investigating the incident. No charges have been filed.
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