On October 5, the Pinellas Sheriff's Department released footage of a fatal car crash that took place on October 3 in St. Petersburgh, Florida.
As per the Pinellas Sheriff's Department, three Florida teens allegedly stole a Maserati on early Sunday morning. After a police helicopter caught them in the act, a chase ensued as they tried to flee the authorities.
In the footage of the incident, recorded by the police helicopter, the stolen Maserati can be seen speeding through the streets of St Petersburg before veering out of control and skidding off a curb. This caused the vehicle to go airborne before it landed overturned in front of a local business.
According to the New York Post, the crash left two of the teens injured and one dead. None of the teens were licensed to drive. Authorities allegedly recovered a 25-caliber automatic pistol at the scene. The weapon, which was labeled a 'crime gun' by Florida authorities, had reportedly been re-sold to various criminals in illicit arms deals.
Details of the fatal Florida crash
As per Fox News, the deceased teen has been identified as Mario Bonilla, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car. The driver, 15-year-old Keondrick Lang, was transported to the hospital in critical condition, and is expected to recover. The other passenger, 16-year-old Malachi Daniels, is in critical condition, but is reportedly at risk of not surviving his injuries.
At a press conference, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri summed up the crash to local Florida outlets.
“This is what happens when you’re an inexperienced driver at 3:30 in the morning driving 80 miles an hour and you lose it. And unfortunately one has lost his life, the other one looks like is going to lose his life and the other has some pretty serious injuries."
He continued:
"It's a very sad situation."
Gualtieri explained that while none of the teens had prior criminal records, their possession of a gun, as well as the audacity of the theft, led him to believe that they may have had unrecorded histories of criminal activity.
“None of (the teens) had any criminal histories but what appears clear is is that these kids were out doing a whole bunch of bad things — they just hadn’t been caught."
As per the Tampa Bay Times, the teen's parents allegedly believed they were all sleeping when the incident took place. The case currently remains under investigation.
Gualtieri reported that in light of the incident, Keondrick Lang could face a third-degree murder charge.