ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A man is behind bars after police say he hit and killed two people in a crash Saturday afternoon in St. Petersburg.
Owen Whittaker, 21, was charged with vehicular homicide.
At around 2:15 p.m., Whittaker – who's from Holiday, Florida – was driving his Toyota Corolla northbound on 4th Street North as he approached the intersection of 72nd Avenue, the St. Pete Police Department said in a news release.
At the same, a different driver in a blue Mazda 3 was going southbound on 4th Street North and entered the left turn lane to get onto 72nd Avenue North, authorities said.
The light at the intersection changed to red for both Whittaker and the other driver, but the Mazda continued to try to make a turn and was hit by the Corolla, police continued.
Whittaker reportedly then drove off the road and hit a 62-year-old man on a bike and a 62-year-old woman who was on the sidewalk. Whittaker proceeded to crash into a light pole and crosswalk signal. Authorities say the man was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg where she later died.
Whittaker and the Mazda driver did not suffer any injuries, police said.
After the crash, Whittaker was taken to the Pinellas County Jail.
An investigation into the crash remains ongoing.