Startling new details are coming to light about the woman police say caused a serious crash on the Courtney Campbell Causeway on Thursday morning, critically injuring a man and closing down the Causeway for hours.
Clearwater Police say Lina Marie Paige slammed her Mercedez-Benz into the rear of a work van also traveling west.
That impact sent the van veering out of control, where it then slammed into a guardrail, flipped and then came to rest upright.
The driver of the van, Gregory Palmer, of Clearwater, was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, where he remains in critical condition.
Since the morning crash, ABC Action News has learned Paige was involved in another major crash, police reports show.
It happened on North Armenia Avenue at Interstate 275 in June.
Police said her southbound sedan went through a fence and struck the back of a home on West Lasalle Street. The car hit into the concrete of the home, severely damaging it.
Police arrested Paige and charged her with DUI with property damage and had an active warrant for cocaine possession.
Paige was booked into the Pinellas County Jail after being medically cleared at Clearwater ER after the Courtney Campbell Causeway crash Thursday morning.
Paige was charged with driving under the influence involving serious bodily injury, battery on a law enforcement officer and driving with a license suspended or revoked.
ABC Action News was the only news crew there when Paige walked out of the Pinellas County Jail Thursday night after posting bond.
ABC Action News reporter Ryan Smith repeatedly asked Paige about the drunk driving charge and if she had anything to say about Palmer, who remains unresponsive with life-threatening injuries at Bayfront Health.
"That's OK, I don't want you in my face," she said. "I don't want you in my face, get out of my face."
After making several attempts to get Paige's side, it was clear she did not want to talk.
Palmer's family tells ABC Action News, they are praying for his recovery.
