A Pinellas Park man was injured in the crash, according to the Pinellas County sheriff. Speed and impairment were both factors in the crash.

KENNETH CITY – A St. Petersburg man was charged with drunken driving after a traffic crash that injured a Pinellas Park man Friday (Feb. 9), the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Bernard Harry Deins III, 65, of Pinellas Park, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Antonio Latroit Trevino, 34, of St. Petersburg, was not injured in the crash. Trevino was charged with one count each of driving under the influence with bodily injury; fleeing and eluding; reckless driving with property damage; driving while license suspended and/or revoked; possession of marijuana; and possession of drug paraphernalia. Speed and impairment were both factors in the crash, deputies said.

A citizen called deputies about 5:20 a.m. Friday to report that a Chevrolet Impala was driving the wrong way on 54th Avenue N and weaving in and out of traffic. An on-duty Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office sergeant, driving an unmarked patrol car, saw the Chevy near 68th Street and 54th Avenue N. The sergeant did not activate his emergency lights or sirens, but followed the Chevrolet.

At 71st Street and 46th Avenue N, the sergeant activated his emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop on the Chevy, which did not stop. The sergeant turned off his emergency lights and siren and did not pursue the vehicle.

A short time later, a patrol deputy was able to successfully deploy a tire deflation device at 68th Street N and 46th Avenue N, but deputies said the Chevy continued to drive recklessly.

Still not in pursuit, patrol deputies said they found the Chevy at 42nd Avenue and 66th Street N. They tried a precision immobilization technique but were not successful and the Chevy continued north on 66th Street. Deputies did not activate their lights and sirens as they followed the Chevy from a distance.

As the Chevy passed 46th Avenue N, it struck the Ford Windstar that Deins was driving as it was turning left from the southbound lanes of 66th Street N into a gas station parking lot.

The crash disabled both vehicles and the Chevy’s driver, identified Trevino, was taken into custody.

Pinellas Sheriff | Traffic Crash | Crime | DUI | Arrests | Tampabay News

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