HIghway Patrol Chase teens in Stolen car leading to all 4 of their deaths

(Pictured above)is Lawrence McClendon Jr., a sophomore defensive back for the football team. One of the four victims who died in the deadly chase.

April 20, 2024 Four Florida teens, including a star football player, lost their lives in a tragic police chase. The officers attempted to use a maneuver to stop their car, but instead, the vehicle spun out of control, flipping over and crashing into a utility pole.

The pursuit began when the stolen Honda CRV was spotted heading toward Starke on State Road 100. Police had received reports of the stolen vehicle, and upon confirmation, an officer attempted to pull the car over. The teens initially pulled over but then accelerated, leading to a high-speed chase.

Deputies had to stop their pursuit at the county line as they were unable to keep up with the speeding vehicle. The incident is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of high-speed chases.

"The Highway Patrol was the only ones who could keep up with them," Smith explained. "Our cars couldn't match their speed, but we had one unit try to stay close as a backup until Alachua County's units caught up."

A trooper joined the chase and noticed some of the occupants wearing ski masks. "The Trooper made intentional contact with the Honda, causing it to decelerate," the highway patrol said. "The Trooper used the break in speed to perform a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT maneuver) on the fleeing Honda to stop the threat created by the fleeing suspect. The Honda subsequently rolled over before making contact with a cement pole."

The vehicle was described as "wrapped around a concrete utility pole," and it took over 90 minutes to extricate the passengers. Two were pronounced dead on the scene, while two others were pronounced dead in the hospital.

All the victims in the crash in Waldo were between 14 and 16 years old. Two of them were identified as Newberry High School students Jabril Cheevers and Lawrence McClendon Jr., the latter being a sophomore defensive back for the football team. His 18-year-old brother, Jermaine Godbolt, was shot and killed last month.