ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s a sight that would make any car owner sick: a white Mercedes, splattered all over with crusty, gray concrete.
Carissa Tatum, the car's owner, says the incident occurred late Tuesday night last week as she drove home on Tyrone Boulevard near St. Petersburg.
“Out of nowhere,” Tatum recalled. “I honestly just thought it was rain of sorts, and that’s why I turned my windshield wiper on.”
By the next day, she realized it wasn’t rain but concrete hardened all over her car. As she tried to scrub it off, she scratched her hood and had to stop.
“My car is completely covered in concrete everywhere. In the wheel wells. On the rims,” Tatum said. “I just honestly don’t know what to do.”
Tatum says it happened on the stretch of Tyrone Boulevard near Tyrone Square mall, where the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is repaving three miles of roadway. Contractor Gosalia Concrete is doing the work.
When Tampa Bay 28 observed the construction site on Monday, reporter Chad Mills noticed large chunks of dried concrete in the grass of the public right-of-way and along the curb of Tyrone Boulevard. A PSTA bus stop along the boulevard was splattered with dried concrete, along with a waste bin. Two pieces of Gosalia Concrete machinery, which were parked nearby, were partially covered in the same material.
“Somebody has to do something, either the construction company or the Florida Department of Transportation,” Tatum said.
Since Tampa Bay 28 started asking questions, Tatum says she heard back from the contractor and might receive help. But she’s not the only driver impacted.
Bob Strawhecker drives the same area daily and says two of his vehicles were also splattered with concrete.
“I was driving, and I do remember seeing like dust in the air,” Strawhecker said. “I thought about it. I’m like, ‘I’m going to put a post up, because there’s obviously wet concrete somewhere.’”
Several people who saw his Facebook post said their cars also got concrete on them after driving on Tyrone Boulevard.
Kris Carson, an FDOT spokesperson, told Tampa Bay 28 that the agency has been in contact with the contractor and is reaching out to drivers who reported concerns. According to Carson, drivers who think they were affected are encouraged to contact the contractor directly.
Gosalia Concrete can be reached by calling (813) 443-0984 or emailing balvarado@gosaliaco.com.
Tatum is hoping she and others will receive compensation that will cover the cost of repairs and detailing.
“To have nice things, you know, and then they just get ruined. You know, it’s nothing that was your fault. It’s pretty infuriating,” she said.
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Chad Mills calls Polk County home and has witnessed the area’s growth firsthand. He keeps his eye on the City of Lakeland, our agriculture community, and helping you navigate everyday expenses. Use the form below to share your story ideas with Chad.
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