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Deputies: Teens Stole Vehicle, Fled

Pursuit | Pinellas Sheriff | Car Chase

They also committed multiple vehicle burglaries, Pinellas deputies said.

CLEARWATER – Two teens were arrested Friday (March 22) after stealing a vehicle and fleeing from deputies, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Keondrae Brown, 15, of St. Petersburg, was charged with one count each of Grand Theft Auto, Loitering and Prowling, and Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding. Additional charges are pending. Brown also had
six active juvenile pick-up orders for various charges. Brown is classified as a prolific juvenile offender.

Deputies said Brown is the only surviving occupant of the stolen vehicle that fled from deputies and crashed at U.S. 19 and Tampa Road on Aug. 6, 2017. His brother and two others were killed in the crash. (For story, click here.)

Ariq Newton, 17, of Clearwater, was charged with one count of Grand Theft Auto. Additional charges are pending.

Deputies said both Brown and Newton were on felony probation for Grand Theft  Auto and were being monitored by the Habitual Offender Monitoring Enforcement  program, a task force aimed at reducing teen crime.

About 2:16 a.m. Friday, while deputies were patrolling for routine burglary prevention, in the area of 298th Avenue N and 67th Street North in unincorporated Clearwater, they saw a teen fleeing on foot after seeing the marked patrol vehicle. The teen, who was later identified as Brown, and Newton got in a stolen vehicle and headed south on U.S.19 at a high rate of speed.

The Flight Unit was able to locate the stolen vehicle on U.S. 19 and followed it from the air. Deputies used a tire-deflation device to stop the vehicle at U.S.19 and Dimmit Drive, but the vehicle was able to avoid the device.

The vehicle turned off U.S. 19 and turned west on Sunset Point Road, where it made numerous turns before coming to a stop at Fulton Avenue and Harbor Drive. Both teens got out and fled north on foot, where they tried to hide behind several houses. They eventually ran into a wooded area that borders the Pinellas Trail.

A perimeter was set and with the assistance of the Flight Unit and the K-9 Unit, deputies caught both teens.

The flight unit video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/iacPb9tRlRc.

Photo is a screen capture from the flight unit video. Courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Pinellas Sheriff | Crime | Arrests | Tampabay News

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