Pickup truck crashes & catches fire, killing passenger

An early-morning crash in the University Park area claimed the life of a Georgia resident.

Florida Highway Patrol officials said it happened shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday.

A 39-year-old man driving a Toyota pickup truck north on Cooper Creek Boulevard east of Charleston Street reportedly failed to turn at a curve, continuing to travel straight ahead and struck a curb.

The truck’s right front hit some shrubbery, then a tree.

According to reports, the vehicle spun around the tree, coming to rest on the east shoulder of Copper Creek Boulevard.

The truck then caught fire after the crash.

When troopers arrived at the scene, the driver had escaped from the vehicle, but suffered serious injuries.

He was transported to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center for treatment.

The passenger, 28-year-old Haudrey F. Figueurdo, was trapped inside the truck and died from injuries suffered in the accident.

FHP investigators are trying to determine exactly what happened, but no charges have been filed at this time.