PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – A 15-year-old boy has died following a high-speed police pursuit that ended in a crash early Sunday morning along State Road 54 in Pasco County, state troopers reported.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a trooper on patrol spotted a Chevy Traverse heading eastbound on SR-54 traveling at 74 mph in a 45 mph speed zone at roughly 3:45 a.m. on July 26. When the trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver refused to pull over and accelerated, reaching speeds of up to 115 mph while attempting to flee.
Just east of Old County Road 54, the trooper performed a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver to stop the fleeing vehicle. The maneuver caused the SUV to spin off the roadway onto the south shoulder, where it struck a utility pole before slamming into a tree.
Authorities said both occupants in the SUV were 15-year-old males from New Port Richey. Neither teenager was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Investigators also noted that alcoholic beverages were located inside the vehicle.
Emergency responders transported both teenagers to a local hospital with serious injuries. The passenger later died as a result of the injuries sustained in the impact.
FHP stated that criminal charges against the 15-year-old driver are currently pending as the investigation into the crash remains active. State Road 54 was closed to traffic following the collision and officially reopened at 1:00 p.m.
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