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Man Who Died In St. Pete Crash While Fleeing Police ID'd

News Channel 8 photo by JIM FARQUHAR

Police say Tyrone D. Dudley, 26, of St. Petersburg died in a car that crashed while fleeing authorities in St. Petersburg.

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TBO.com

Published: February 24, 2009

Updated: 02/25/2009 07:33 am

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Tommy Walls

Authorities have identified the passenger killed while fleeing police on Interstate 275 in St. Petersburg on Tuesday night.

Tyrone D. Dudley, 26, of St. Petersburg, died in a two-vehicle crash, Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins said.

The patrol gives this account of what happened about 8:30 p.m. at I-275 near Fifth Avenue North:

St. Petersburg police officers were trying to pull over a 1998 Cadillac driven by Tommy Walls, 24, at 38th Avenue North and 34th Street. Dudley was a passenger in the Cadillac.

Walls did not stop and sped toward I-275. When the car got on the southbound lanes of the highway, the headlights were turned off. Walls lost control of the speeding car near the Fifth Avenue North exit. The Cadillac hit a guardrail in the median then bounced back onto the road and struck another guardrail.

The Cadillac ricocheted a third time and struck a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire driven by Leroy Richardson, 53, of Myakka City.

Dudley was ejected from the Cadillac during the three impacts. He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to a written statement from the highway patrol.

Richardson and his passenger, Demetrius Richardson, 35, received minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Walls, of St. Petersburg, also received minor injuries. Walls was arrested by St. Petersburg police and charged with fleeing and eluding involving serious injury or death, possession of cocaine and driving with a suspended or revoked license. Walls was also wanted on several warrants.

He was being held this morning without bail at the Pinellas County Jail.

Southbound I-275 at the scene was closed for several hours while authorities investigated. The lanes reopened about 12:15 a.m., Gaskins said.

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