A 22-year-old Clearwater man died early Wednesday after a sequence of events that started with gunfire and ended with a serious traffic crash.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, James Anthony Smith was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after crashing his vehicle following a short deputy pursuit.
The crash thwarted traffic along Gulf to Bay Boulevard near McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater for several hours.
Deputies said the series of events started just before 4 a.m. when a single gunshot was heard in the parking lot of the Baby Dolls on Ulmerton Road and US 19.
A patrolling deputy saw a red 2011 Chevy Cruze leaving the parking lot of the club, followed it and attempted to stop the vehicle. The car sped off from the scene, authorities said.
Deputies and a sheriff's helicopter followed the car over the Courtney Campbell Causeway and back, authorities said.
Stop sticks were used minutes later at Damascus Road and Gulf to Bay to slow the vehicle, which continued to flee. Continuing on Gulf to Bay, the Cruze crashed into a construction sign and tree and rolled over multiple times, officials said.
When deputies reached the vehicle, they found Smith with the gunshot wound to the head. He died a short time later at Mease Countryside Hospital. Deputies said a handgun was found in the car.
The Pinellas Sheriff's Office's Major Accident Investigation Team was called to investigate the crash.
Traffic along eastbound Gulf to Bay near McMullen was limited to one lane for most of the morning.