PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A high-speed pursuit early Sunday morning ended in a deadly crash along State Road 54, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers say they spotted a Chevy Traverse traveling 74 mph in a 45 mph zone around 3:45 a.m. The driver refused to stop, accelerating to 115 mph while fleeing eastbound.
Near Old County Road 54, a trooper performed a PIT maneuver, causing the SUV to veer off the roadway. The vehicle struck a utility pole and then a tree on the south shoulder.
Both occupants — 15-year-old males from New Port Richey — were not wearing seat belts and were found with alcoholic beverages in the vehicle, investigators said. Both suffered serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
The passenger later died from his injuries.
Charges against the driver are pending as the investigation remains ongoing.
The roadway was reopened around 1 p.m.
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