A high-speed pursuit by Florida state troopers in Waldo, Florida, on Saturday, April 27, 2024, concluded in a fatal accident that claimed the lives of four teenage boys. The incident occurred approximately 12 miles north of Gainesville.
The chase began when a stolen Honda CRV was spotted by the troopers. In an attempt to halt the vehicle, a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT maneuver) was implemented, leading to the teens’ vehicle rolling over and crashing into a concrete utility pole, causing fatal injuries to the passengers.
The victims, aged between 14 and 17, were later identified. Jabril Chevers and Lawrence McClendon Jr. passed away at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville from injuries sustained in the crash. At the scene, 16-year-old Taleak Roberts and another boy, whose identity has not been disclosed, were declared deceased. Alachua County Fire Rescue disclosed that it took over 90 minutes to extricate the boys from the wreckage, which was ensnared around a concrete utility pole.
This tragic incident further deepens the sorrow for the McClendon family, who lost another teen son, Jermaine Godbolt, Lawrence’s older brother, to a shooting just a month ago. The community has rallied around the bereaved families, establishing GoFundMe campaigns for funeral expenses and paying tribute to the young lives lost.
Lawrence McClendon Jr., a sophomore and exceptional defensive player on his high school football team, was remembered by his coach, Ed Johnson, as a talented athlete and a cherished team member.
Deputy Col. Brad Smith of the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office recalled that their vehicles could not match the Honda’s high speeds, believed to be over 100 mph, resulting in a decision to stop the chase near the county line. However, a state trooper continued the pursuit, observing some of the vehicle’s occupants were possibly wearing ski masks during the chase.
“[The stolen vehicle] did start to pull over on the shoulder of the road, but before they came to a complete stop, they accelerated again, and that is when the chase was on,” said Deputy Col. Smith, quoted by Main Street Daily News.
It was reported that two of the teens were wearing ankle monitors and three had active warrants.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Florida Highway Patrol has launched a criminal investigation to ascertain the events leading up to the fatal crash.
