Passenger Killed in Wrong-Way Crash Near Tampa International Airport Was Visiting Friends for Gasparilla
Trusted Content
Tampa, FL (2/5/2020) – Early last week, an Uber driver and his passenger were killed after being hit by a wrong-way driver on George J. Bean Parkway near Tampa International Airport. 23-year-old Billy Holzapfel, the passenger in the Uber, was visiting Tampa to celebrate Gasparilla with his friends.
Byron Downen, who was a long-time friend of Holzapfel, said that “[Billy] had just graduated from Northern Illinois University, [and] had also started a job.” Holzapfel came down to Tampa to celebrate the next phase of his life with his friends.
According to police, the wrong-way driver Alexander Jacobson, 30, also attended Gasparilla and smelled like alcohol when he exited his vehicle after the crash. Jacobson was driving his Jeep the wrong-way on George J. Bean Parkway when he hit a Ford Fusion head-on, killing both Holzapfel and his Uber driver Juan Santana Tortosa.
Jacobson faces two counts of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter. He is currently being held in the Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County.
Experienced Car Accident Lawyers in Florida
Our hearts go out to all of those impacted by this tragedy. Car accidents like this one occur far too often in Florida. It’s essential that car accidents be thoroughly investigated so that the cause of the collision can be understood, and the responsible party can be identified and, if warranted, held accountable.
Abrahamson & Uiterwyk is committed to advocating for individuals and families impacted by serious accidents, including car accidents. Here on our accident news blog, we report on stories that involve personal injuries because we help our clients recover losses and damages from accidents like this one. If you or a loved one has been impacted by a personal injury accident, we invite you to contact our firm anytime to discuss your case with a qualified car accident attorney.
Note: This post utilizes secondary sources independent of Abrahamson & Uiterwyk. The information used from these sources is not independently confirmed by our staff. If anything in this post is incorrect, please contact us and we will correct the inaccurate information or remove the post. If you are a family member of someone impacted by this accident and would like us to remove their name from this story simply click here.
Source: WTSP