Chase ends with deadly crash

ST. PETERSBURG - Late Friday night, Marc Moran got terrible news that his uncle, Gary Smith, had been killed in a car accident.

"Unfortunately, we all have to go one day, but not like that," Moran said.

As Moran learned more about what happened, his grief turned to astonishment. The driver who is accused of causing the accident was being chased by St. Petersburg police.

"Manatee County was in pursuit of a vehicle that entered our jurisdiction," explained Lt. Markus Hughes with St. Petersburg police. "The vehicle exited at 34th Street South at a high rate of speed."

Even more disturbing to Smith's family is that the driver accused of causing the crash is just 16 years old.

"A 16-year-old boy, I never thought they would give a driver's license to a 16-year-old, " Moran said.

According to reports, Manatee deputies started chasing Ramesse Harris late Friday night after seeing him driving a stolen SUV at high speeds. Harris apparently refused to stop while being pursued through Bradenton and Palmetto.

Harris is then accused of speeding along I-275 and getting off on 34th Street South in St. Petersburg. He finally collided with Smith at the intersection of 5th Avenue South and 31st Street South, where police say Harris ran a red light.

"It should have been prevented, I mean, officers should have done something about this," Moran said. "It should have never lead to this county."

After the crash, investigators say Harris ran on foot but was arrested nearby.

"For him to take my uncle's life, I would have never thought something like this would ever happen," Moran added.

Harris is charged with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crash involving death and aggravated fleeing. He is being held at the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center.