Palm Harbor Paramedic Dies in Clearwater Crash

A 33-year-old off-duty paramedic from Palm Harbor was killed in an accident that shut down traffic for hours at a busy Clearwater intersection just before rush hour Monday.

Clearwater Police say Sunstar paramedic Christopher A. Jennings, of Palm Harbor, died as a result of a motorcycle-car crash that happened shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday at Keene Road and Gulf to Bay Boulevard.

Jennings was one of the paramedics who helped toddler Ireland Nugent when she was accidentally run over by a lawn mower at her Palm Harbor Home in April, according to a Tampa Bay Times report. Jennings and other paramedics were invited to meet Ireland after her release from the hospital.

Ireland's mother Nicole expressed her condolences on the Sunstar Paramedics Facebook page.

"My heart is broken... The world has lost a wonderful man. We love you CJ!, my heart goes out to your family," she wrote.

Jennings was headed northbound on Keene on his 2008 Suzuki when he accelerated past traffic that was slowing for the red light at Gulf to Bay, according to Clearwater Police.

Jennings struck the passenger side of 37-year-old Inez Ledford's 2001 Chevrolet Suburban, which was headed southbound and waiting to turn left, police said.

Jennings was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The road was closed for about four hours after the crash.

Jennings was on his way home from Sunstar headquarters at the time of the accident, according to a post on the company's Facebook page.

He had been with Sunstar for four years, working as an assistant supervisor paramedic out of the north Pinellas hub. He was also a SWAT paramedic in support of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

"He was an outstanding employee," said Rob Smith, director of communications
for Sunstar, in a media release. "He loved being a part of EMS."

Jennings worked an EMS job in Georgia before moving to Florida a few years
ago and still has family members there, Smith said.

"Chris will be missed," Smith said.

This post was reported and written by Patch Associate Regional Editor Jason Bartolone.

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