Pinellas Park Police and Fire Rescue were dispatched to a crash that occurred at approximately 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, October 19, 2019.
The fatal crash occurred near the intersection of 66th Street and 70th Avenue N in Pinellas Park.
Based on preliminary information, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) received a phone call in regards to a vehicle involved in two separate crashes within Pinellas County. While officers were attempting to locate the vehicle, the suspect ran a red light at the intersection of 66th St and 70th Ave causing the fatal crash.
Through the investigation, it was learned that Katlynn M. Smith, age 28 or Seminole, was intially involved in a crash near Starkey Rd and 96th Avenue N. Following this crash, she fled the scene without stopping in her 2011 Toyota Camry.Â
The vehicle from this crash followed Smith who drove recklessly along Bryan Dairy Rd. Smith struck another vehicle stopped for the red light at the intersection of Bryan Dairy Road and Belcher Road when she continued to drive through the intersection against the red signal. Neither of these crashes resulted in any injuries.
The victim from the initial crash at Bryan Diary and Starkey Road contacted FHP advising of Smith’s reckless driving.
The final crash occurred as Smith drove through the red light at 66th St and 70th Ave crashing into the driver side door of the vehicle being operated by Kanh Kim Nguyen, age 53 or Largo.
As a result of the crash, Nguyen died at the scene from the injuries he sustained. Nguyen was driving a 2011 Lexus IS-250 at the time of the crash.
Katlynn Smith suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash. She remains in custody while recovering at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.
She has been charged by Troopers with an improper lane change and leaving the scene of the first crash.
Pinellas Park Police have charged her with Vehicular Homicide and Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Property. Additional charges are pending the result of the investigation.
According the arrest affidavit, she admitted to having a care free day after recently getting over her drug addiction.
The crash prompted a full road closure of 66th Street from Park Boulevard to 70th Avenue for several hours.
Video of scene of fatal crash