FREE TO READ: Woman, 23, suffered critical injuries in motorcycle crash

CHARLOTTE HARBOR — A passenger on a motorcycle suffered critical injuries in a crash late Thursday.

According to a news release from Florida Highway Patrol, a 39-year-old Port Charlotte man was riding a motorcycle with a 23-year-old Port Charlotte woman at 7:40 p.m. Thursday along U.S. 41/Tamiami Trail in front of Sunseeker Resort.

The southbound motorcycle was in the inside lane, approaching Main Street.

At the same time, a 66-year-old Port Charlotte man was driving a sedan northbound on U.S. 41/Tamiami Trail.

The driver of the sedan turned left, in front of the motorcyclist. The motorcycle struck the sedan.

Both the motorcyclist and his passenger were ejected off the motorcycle. Neither were wearing a helmet.

The 39-year-old man suffered minor injuries. The 23-year-old woman suffered critical injuries and was transported to a hospital.

The driver of the sedan was not injured. He was wearing a seat belt.

Tamiami Trail/U.S. 41 was closed in both directions for several hours for the investigation late Thursday.

This is the third crash involving injuries near Sunseeker in recent months.

On the night of March 31, a wreck at U.S. 41 and Main Street involving a motorcycle closed U.S. 41 in both directions. That crash resulted in serious injuries, authorities said.

In February, a man was airlifted after his truck crashed into a wall surrounding the resort. He had just turned left from the northbound lanes of U.S. 41 and was attempting to avoid traffic in the southbound lanes, authorities said.