Suspect arrested for stabbing driver multiple times after crash on Howard Frankland Bridge: Troopers
Booking photo of Patrick Scruggs. Courtesy: Pinellas County Jail.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A Tampa man was arrested for stabbing another driver multiple times after a crash on the Howard Frankland Bridge Tuesday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said they responded to the crash involving three vehicles at 9:24 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the Howard Frankland Bridge. When they arrived at the scene, a St. Petersburg police officer passing by the scene detained Patrick Douglas Scruggs and was helping the driver who was stabbed.
Officials said a 35-year-old Tampa man was stopped in the travel lanes and slumped over inside his vehicle for an unknown reason. A 40-year-old driver who was passing by with his wife saw the hazard and stopped ahead of the 35-year-old driver's vehicle, according to FHP.
The second driver got out to try and help the man, but went back to his car to get something to break the window to assist. That's when troopers said the 35-year-old man woke up and drove forward, hitting the 40-year-old's car.
The driver then reversed and tried driving around the other vehicle, but instead, crash investigators said he hit Scruggs' vehicle, which was passing the scene.
Troopers said Scruggs got out of his vehicle and broke out the side window of the 35-year-old man's vehicle and stabbed him multiple times with a pocket knife. When the 40-year-old driver and his wife came back to try and stop the suspect and help the stabbing victim, Scruggs tried to stab them too.
Both the 40-year-old man and his wife were able to get away unharmed, FHP said. Photos taken from the incident showed the suspect holding a knife at the car involved.
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After the St. Pete police officer got to the scene, the 35-year-old victim was taken to the hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries, according to troopers.
Scruggs was arrested by troopers for aggravated battery, aggravated assault and burglary. FHP said he was taken to the Pinellas County Jail.
Portions of I-275 on the Howard Frankland Bridge was closed for nearly three hours.