Five others suffered minor injuries in the crash.

HERNANDO COUNTY – A Port Richey teen died from injuries he received Monday (Oct. 8) in a crash on Spring Hill Drive, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Verdell V. Pettis, 18, of Port Richey, died at the Regional Medical Center at Bayonet Point. He was not wearing a seat belt.

Eric Jefferson Stanley, 49, of Port Richey, the driver of the vehicle in which Mr. Pettis was riding, and three other passengers, La Shelle Renne Stanley, 40, of Port Richey; Eric J. Stanley III, 7, of Port Richey; and Verdell Pettis, 21, of Port Richey, were taken to Bayonet Point with minor injuries. Troopers said Eric Jefferson Stanley and La Shelle Renne Stanley were wearing seat belts but no one else in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt or was in a child seat.

Corey John Hare, 28, of Hudson, the other driver, was also taken to Bayonet Point with minor injuries.

The crash happened about 7:14 p.m. on Spring Hill Drive west of Treehaven Drive in Hernando County.

Trooper said Eric Jefferson Stanley was driving a 2005 Dodge Caravan west on west on Spring Hill Drive in the outside lane delivering phone books. The Dodge stopped in the outside lane and was rear ended by a 1996 Ford F250 driven by Hare who failed to stop, troopers said.

Florida Highway Patrol | Spring Hill Crash | Verdell V. Pettis | Tampabay News

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