2 Injured After Man Crashes While Fleeing Deputy

SAFETY HARBOR, FL — A routine traffic stop in Safety Harbor took a dangerous turn Wednesday night when Pinellas County deputies say a man decided to flee.

The incident that led to Vetson F. Love’s arrest began around 7 p.m. Dec. 28. A deputy attempted to stop the 25-year-old at the intersection of 10th Avenue North and 7th Street North, an email from the sheriff’s office said. Love is accused of running a stop sign.

When the deputy turned on his lights and sirens, Love is accused of taking off westbound on 7th Street North in his 2013 Nissan Altima. The deputy did not pursue the vehicle, the email noted.

Love, however, continued west on Cedar Street at a high rate of speed, the email said. He didn’t stop for a red traffic light at McMullen Booth Road, the agency noted. When the Nissan ran the light, it crashed into the driver’s side of a southbound Cadillac CTS that had the green signal.

After hitting the Cadillac, the sheriff’s office said Love lost control and struck a Kia Soul that was also heading southbound.

The driver of the Cadillac, John Pearson, 24, of Dunedin was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injures after the crash, the agency said. The Kia’s driver, Cassandra Staneefer, 32, of St. Petersburg, was not injured.

Love, an Oldsmar resident, was taken to a hospital following the crash, as well. His injuries are described as not life-threatening.

“Love admitted to deputies that he fled when the deputy tried stopping him,” the sheriff’s office said. “Deputies found crack cocaine in his possession.”

Love was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding and possession of a controlled substance.

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