Odessa Man Dies in Dale Mabry Crash
The man’s Ford Explorer burst into flames after it struck another vehicle early this morning, Feb. 24.
A 20-year-old Odessa man is dead following an early morning crash today, Feb. 24, on Dale Mabry Highway at Bearss Avenue. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when a Ford Explorer driven by Michael Gregory Backus of Odessa was traveling northbound on North Dale Mabry Highway and ran a red light. Backus’ Explorer crossed into the path of another vehicle that was trying to make a left-hand turn onto Bearss Avenue under a green traffic signal. The front left portion of Backus’ Explorer struck the front right portion of the 2003 Ford Expedition driven by Edward Scanlon, 49, of Tampa, a highway patrol media release said. Backus’ vehicle rotated clockwise, overturned and then struck a pedestrian cross …
