JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two people are dead after the truck they were in crashed into a telephone pole in San Marco early Friday after fleeing from Jacksonville police.
Two others in the truck, a red Chevy Trail Blazer that was reported stolen in January, were hospitalized. One is in critical condition and the other is stable, Jacksonville police said at a news conference Friday morning.
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Before the crash, at about 3:42 a.m., Jacksonville police were called to a location on Hendricks Avenue for reports of possible car break-ins. Witnesses in the area reported seeing a red Chevy Blazer “driving suspiciously,” around Claremont Road, police said at the news conference.
“Patrol officers were dispatched to a burglary in progress of a vehicle. The officer that arrived and investigated that and determined that it was actually an auto theft,” Sgt R.C. Hungerford from JSO’s Traffic Homicide Unit said.
Officers arrived and determined that a vehicle was broken into, police said, adding that officers spotted the Blazer speeding by and attempted to pull it over.
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The Blazer sped away from officers. Officers didn’t give chase for safety reasons, Hungerford said.
Moments later, the crash was reported in San Marco at the intersection of Nira Avenue and King Street, police said.
“A Chevrolet Trailblazer was northbound and lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a telephone pole and hit a power pole” Hungerford said.
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The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded and one person was pronounced dead at the scene. Three others were taken to hospital, and one of them was pronounced dead there. Everyone involved was a male.
At the time of this article’s publication, there were two survivors. One of them is a juvenile, who is stable; and the other person has critical injuries.
The roadway remained closed much of the morning Friday.
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