ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP/WPTV) — Florida authorities say three teenage boys stole a sport utility vehicle, sped away from officers and died in a fiery, violent crash.
The 4:30 a.m. Sunday crash happened in Pinellas County, in west-central Florida.
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in a news conference a fourth teen in the SUV survived and is hospitalized. He said all the teens all had criminal histories — including one who had gotten out of jail on July 31.
The deceased were identified as Keontae Brown and Dejarae Thomas, both 16-years-old and 14-year-old Jimmie Goshey.
Gualtieri said officers were not chasing the teens at high speed at the time of the crash but attempted to stop the car earlier in the night.
In 2015, police in Pinellas made 499 felony arrests for juvenile auto theft, more than any other county in Florida.