(Rightallegiance.com) – In a tragic turn of events in Waldo, Florida, a high-speed chase involving law enforcement and a stolen vehicle ended catastrophically, claiming the lives of four teenagers, including a prominent high school football player. The incident, which took place on April 20, unfolded as police pursued a Honda CRV, reported stolen, at speeds reaching 111 mph.
The chase began when local law enforcement confirmed the vehicle was still registered as stolen in Gainesville. Bradford County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Brad Smith explained the sequence of events in a statement to the Main Street Daily News: “After confirming the status of the stolen vehicle with the Gainesville Police Department, the officer waited for additional backup before attempting to stop the car. Initially, the vehicle seemed to be pulling over, but then suddenly accelerated, prompting the high-speed pursuit.”
The chase continued to the county line, where local deputies had to fall back due to the extreme speeds. “At that point, the Florida Highway Patrol took over, being the only ones able to keep pace,” Smith recounted. During the pursuit, a state trooper noticed that some of the occupants were wearing ski masks, raising suspicions of further criminal intent.
The situation escalated when the trooper performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT maneuver) to safely end the chase. This maneuver involves the police vehicle nudging the fleeing car to make it turn sideways abruptly, causing it to lose control. As a result, the Honda rolled over and crashed into a concrete utility pole, wrapping around it.
Alachua County Fire Rescue was dispatched to the scene, where they described a harrowing sight of the vehicle entangled with the pole. The extraction of the passengers was a painstaking effort, lasting over an hour and a half. Sadly, two teens were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
The deceased were identified as young residents between the ages of 14 and 16, deeply embedded in their community. Among them were Newberry High School students Jabril Cheevers and Lawrence McClendon Jr. McClendon, a sophomore defensive back, was already mourning his brother, Jermaine Godbolt, who was recently killed.
The community of Newberry has been left reeling from the back-to-back tragedies. Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe, who also teaches at the local high school, expressed the town’s profound grief to the Main Street Daily News: “It’s concerning when you have so many deaths back to back, but all we can do as a community is wrap our arms around each other, love each other, ask ourselves what we need to be doing, and then do it.”
Tributes poured in for McClendon, remembered both for his spirit and talent on the football field. “Lawrence was a great kid to be around and have in our program,” said Ed Johnson, head football coach at Newberry. “As a football player, he was competitive, talented, and relentless, known for making big plays. He will be truly missed by everyone in the Panther football family.”
In response to the incident, grief counselors and trauma specialists have been made available to students and faculty at the high school, providing necessary support during this difficult time. The community continues to grapple with the loss, seeking ways to heal and prevent future tragedies.