A Ford traveling north in the southbound lanes collided with a pickup, the Florida Highway Patrol reports.

MANATEE COUNTY -- A 29-year-old woman died and lanes were closed for hours in a wrong-way crash on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge this morning, the Florida Highway Patrol reports.

According to the FHP, Shontel Nicole Chase, 29, of New Port Richey was driving a Ford Focus north in the southbound lanes near Mile Marker 8 at about 3:40 a.m.

Jon Allen Mitchell, 55, of Palmetto, who was driving a GMC Sierra south, saw Chase's vehicle traveling in the wrong direction and steered to the right in an evasive maneuver, FHP reports, while Chase steered to the left. The front of each vehicle collided.

Chase, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was fatally injured, FHP reports. Mitchell, who was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to Blake Medical Center with critical injuries and was later listed in stable condition.

The crash is under investigation.

Earlier

A fatal accident shut down the southbound lanes of the Skyway Bridge for several hours this morning, the Florida Highway Patrol reports.



According to reports, at 3:43 a.m., a 2005 Ford sedan traveling north in the southbound lanes of the Skyway Bridge collided nearly head-on with a 2000 GMC pickup near the 8 mile post.



The female driver of the Ford sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene of the crash.



The male driver of the pickup was transported to an area hospital where he is now listed in stable condition.



The southbound lanes of I-275 reopened just before 9:30.