Manatee chase ends deadly in St. Petersburg

A police chase that started in Manatee County ended in St. Petersburg on Friday night with one person dead.

According to officials in Manatee and Pinellas counties, the chase was the result of a car thief suspect trying to escape.

Manatee County sheriff's deputies began a pursuit of a stolen 2000 Lexus SUV just after 9 p.m. The pursuit traveled over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and into St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg Police was notified and officers laid down stop sticks in the area of 54th Avenue and northbound I-275. However, the Lexus kept going and exited the interstate at 31st Street South.

According to police, a short time later a 16-year-old who was driving the Lexus, speeding on 31st Street South, ran a red light at 5th Avenue South and slammed into an Infiniti sedan, killing that car's driver.

The driver was later identified as 57-year-old Gary Lane Smith of St. Petersburg. 

Smith's family is now dealing with his death.

"For him to take my uncle's life, I never would've thought something like this could happen," said Mark Moran, the victim's nephew.

Police say Smith was hit by the Lexus as he was driving home from work.

Smith was pronounced dead, as the 16-year-old driver was arrested at the scene.

According to Smith's family, he was a good man who was working hard to take care of his 85-year-old mother.

"He's just an ongoing good person," Moran said. "And I'm going to miss him."

The 16-year-old suspect in the Lexus was taken to Bayfront Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Smith's family says they feel sorry for the teen's family also, but hope he isn't allowed behind the wheel of a car for a very long time.

Charges are pending.