TAMPA, FL – A Pasco County man has been arrested following a high-speed crash in Tampa that tragically claimed the life of a 26-year-old mother of four. The incident occurred near the bustling intersection of McKinley Drive and Bogan Villa Drive, a location notorious for its traffic issues.
The suspect, identified as 67-year-old Gary Managed, is accused of causing a series of chain-reaction collisions while driving a Dodge Ram 2500 at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The devastating crash took the life of Paige Howard, who had just left her home on January 3.
Howard’s grieving mother expressed relief over the arrest but stated that it does little to alleviate her pain. “He took my baby from me,” she lamented, describing her daughter as an adult but still her “little girl.”
The impact of the collision left Howard’s Kia Sorento unrecognizable. Her children, including her oldest son Lonnie and her youngest, three-year-old Nathaniel, are now left without their mother.
Tampa police announced the arrest of Managed about a week after the incident. Authorities are holding him in Pasco County Jail, awaiting his transfer to Hillsborough County where he faces charges related to the crash.
The crash occurred in an area where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour. Residents have long complained about the lack of traffic cameras and proper signals at the intersection, which has a history of accidents. Howard’s mother is now calling for changes to prevent future tragedies.
“Cars are just flying down that street,” she said, advocating for the installation of cameras and proper turn signals to improve safety.
The community is left grappling with the loss of a young mother, as well as the ongoing safety concerns at the intersection. Managed’s arrest brings some hope for justice, but it is a small comfort to those mourning Howard’s death.