A crash that closed parts of the Howard Frankland Bridge on Tuesday ended with one man stabbing another, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According to FHP, the incident involved three cars. It started with one man stopped in the travel lanes, slumped over in his vehicle, and ended with another man stabbing him multiple times.
FHP said it happened just before 9:30 a.m. and led to parts of the road being closed for three hours.
The first driver involved, a 35-year-old Tampa man, was stopped in the lanes of the interstate and slumped over inside his vehicle for unknown reasons.
A couple from Tampa, a 40-year-old man and his 43-year-old wife, saw the first driver and stopped. FHP said they pulled ahead of the stopped car, and the 40-year-old man got out to help the first driver.
The second driver was unable to get access to the first driver, so FHP said he went back to his vehicle to get something to break the window. While he was getting that item, FHP said the first driver woke up, drove forward and crashed into the couple's vehicle.
The first driver reversed and tried to drive around the couple's vehicle, FHP said, but he crashed into a third vehicle that was passing.
The third driver, a 38-year-old Tampa man identified as Patrick Scruggs, stopped and got out of his vehicle. FHP said Scruggs went up to the first driver, broke the vehicle's window and stabbed the man multiple times with a pocket knife.
The second driver and his wife tried to stop Scruggs from attacking the first driver, FHP said. As the couple approached the first driver's vehicle, troopers said Scruggs "diverted his attention" to the couple and tried to stab them. They ran away and were not injured.
A passing St. Pete Police officer stopped and detained Scruggs and helped the first driver, who was stabbed.
The first driver, the 35-year-old Tampa man, is in the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, FHP said.
Scruggs was arrested by FHP and was charged with Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault and Burglary of an Occupied Convenience.
Scruggs, a former assistant U.S. attorney, posted bond and was released from the Pinellas County Jail just before midnight.
