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Woman, 18, Arrested In Fatal St. Petersburg Accident

News Channel 8 photo by JOHN WINTERROWD

A Dodge Ram pickup struck two pedestrians just before 11 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

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Rod Challenger

WFLA News Channel 8

Published: October 8, 2008

Updated: 10/09/2008 04:44 pm

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  Denise Battles

  Steven Mincey

ST. PETERSBURG An 18-year-old St. Petersburg woman was arrested today, one day after the Dodge Ram pickup she was driving struck and killed a bicyclist and then flipped into a crowd in a liquor store parking lot, injuring more than a half-dozen people, authorities say.

The woman – whose is listed in records alternatively as Denise Battles and Denise Battle – is expected to be charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death, vehicular homicide, fleeing and eluding, and driving without a license in a situation where a death has been caused, said Traffic Homicide Investigator Mike Jockers.

Shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday night, Battles was riding with two passengers on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street when St. Petersburg police Officer Matthew Stringfellow saw the Ram weaving back and forth on the road, south of 22nd Avenue South, Jockers said.

Stringfellow flicked on his police lights, but not his siren, to pull the Ram over, but the pickup bolted, Jockers said. Stringfellow then flicked his lights off and did not chase the pickup, Jockers said. Later investigators would learn Battles' passengers were screaming at her to slow down as the officer wasn't chasing them, Jockers said.

Some nine blocks after the attempted traffic stop, as the Ram was entering the 1300 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St., Battles lost control of the truck, Jockers said. It appears she tried to avoid hitting the bicyclist, who was riding on the street, before the truck hit him, severing his leg upon impact, and throwing him into a concrete pole, killing him.

He was later identified as Steven Mincey, 49, who lived nearby at 840 13th Ave. S.

The truck was going at least 65 mph, Jockers said.

When Battles cranked the wheel to avoid Mincey, a back wheel slid out, creating a screech heard by a crowd at Ike's Liquor Store, 1205 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St., Jockers said. Some in the crowd started scattering as the Ram slid towards them, struck a curb and began flipping before it came crashing down on cars and people alike, Jockers said.

One was James Lewis, 67, who was standing in front of, or sitting on the hood of, his 1987 Mercury, Jockers said. He was the most seriously injured member of the crowd, and was in critical condition at Bayfront Medical Center, Jockers said. In stable condition at Bayfront were a man and a woman in the crowd. Another man was treated and released.

Taken to St. Anthony's Hospital were three women who were treated and released, Jockers said. Two of the women had been sitting in a Pontiac that was struck. In addition to this car and Lewis's Mercury, two other cars were hit.

Battles' two passengers – Lucretia Mullan and Shalunda Jenkins – also ended up at Bayfront, Jockers said. Mullan was in guarded condition, while Jenkins was treated and released, Jockers said.

After the wreck, all three occupants of the Ram climbed out, Jockers said. Battles and one of her passengers caught a ride to Bayfront, Jockers said. The passenger stayed at the hospital, but Battles did not. After she checked in, she sat in a wheelchair, bled on the chair, then got up and left, Jockers said.

Police found her and took her to Ed White Hospital, Jockers said. Her most serious injury appeared to be a gash to her forehead.

The Ram was originally rented from an Enterprise rental company, and was reported stolen about thirty minutes after the wreck, Jockers said. Police don't believe the Ram was stolen, he said.

In a brief statement to police, Battles acknowledged being in the Ram, but denied being behind the wheel, Jockers said. She said a man was behind the wheel; investigators don't believe that, either. Battles also said she had been drinking and taking drugs – Ecstasy and marijuana, Jockers said.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com. Rod Challenger can be reached at (727) 536-9603.

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