Hit-And-Run Driver Struck House, Deputies Say

SAFETY HARBOR, FL — The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an early Wednesday morning hit-and-run crash that’s a little different than most.

This crash involved a car stolen from Clearwater that ultimately ended up smashing into a Safety Harbor home. The incident unfolded just before 2 a.m. Wednesday when deputies say a 2001 PT Cruiser was heading east on Martin Luther King Street North, attempting to make a northbound turn onto 5th Avenue North. Instead of pulling off that turn, the driver left the road and crashed into the home at 445 Martin Luther King Jr. Street, an email from the sheriff’s office said.

The commotion drew out witnesses, who told deputies they saw three people bail out of the Cruiser and take off on foot. That prompted a K9 search in the area, but the hunt was ultimately unsuccessful, the sheriff’s office noted.

Resident Danielle Weston was home at the time of the accident, deputies say. She was not injured. It is unclear how much damage her house sustained.

As for the car, deputies say it was swiped from a home in Clearwater. The vehicle, the email said, had been left unlocked with spare key inside.

No further information is available at this time.

Sign up for the Safety Harbor Patch newsletter and alerts!

Image via Shutterstock