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Police: Teen hits taxi; man killed

She had a suspended license and drugs in the car when she ran a stop sign and hit a taxi, killing the driver, police say.

By GRAHAM BRINK
Published February 3, 2006

[Photo by Eamonn Kneeshaw]

A Ford Taurus hit this taxi just before 2 a.m. Thursday, causing it to spin around and overturn, police say. The taxi driver was partially ejected out the side window. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

	Leyana M. Rich fled from an officer who tried to pull her over for running a stop sign, then hit a taxi, police say.

ST. PETERSBURG - A police officer tried to pull over the Ford Taurus after it blew through a stop sign early Thursday morning, but the driver sped away.

Minutes later, the Taurus ran another stop sign and smashed into a taxi, killing the driver, police said.

Inside the Taurus, investigators found a large quantity of marijuana and cocaine.

Officers arrested 18-year-old Leyana M. Rich of 2600 29th Ave. N in St. Petersburg. She faces charges of vehicular homicide, driving on a suspended or revoked license, and possession of cocaine and marijuana, according to police reports.

"We are speculating that she knew she was driving on a suspended license and had drugs in the car so she took off," said St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt.

The name of the 53-year-old taxi driver had not been released late Thursday.

Officers were still looking for a passenger who was riding in the Taurus but ran away after the crash. Rich did not tell officers who the passenger was or what she was doing with the drugs, Proffitt said.

"She was not being very cooperative," he said.

It was the second time in two days an officer had sought to pull over the Taurus but stopped because of a policy that forbids chasing vehicles for traffic infractions.

An officer first tried to pull over the Taurus just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Fifth Avenue S and 35th Street. The Taurus sped away, and the officer did not pursue.

At 1:46 a.m. Thursday, another officer, Kenny Miller, saw the Taurus drive through a stop sign at Central Avenue and 35th Street. Before the Taurus sped away, Miller noticed what looked like a man with a baseball cap sitting in the passenger seat. He then let the Taurus speed away without giving chase.

St. Petersburg police officers are prohibited from pursuing a vehicle unless it is necessary to apprehend someone suspected of committing, or in the process of committing, a violent felony.

The policy has been criticized by some members of the police union.

Such policies evolved in recent years after public criticism about innocent bystanders being put at risk, and lawsuits over chases that ended in death or serious injury.

The Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office also forbid officers and deputies from chasing drivers for traffic violations such as running a stop sign.

In Rich's case, the officer could not have known she was about to commit a violent felony, Proffitt said.

"(Miller) did exactly what the policy allowed him to do," Proffitt said.

Four minutes and more than 30 blocks later, the Taurus was speeding north on 47th Street N when it went through a stop sign and hit the taxi, which was eastbound on 22nd Avenue N.

The Ford rotated clockwise and ended up on the northeast corner of the intersection. The taxi also spun around and then overturned after hitting the curb. The taxi driver, who worked for Independent Taxi, was partially ejected out the side window. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials with Independent Taxi did not want to comment until the investigation was completed and the driver's family had been notified.

Rich was taken to Bayfront Medical Center with minor injuries. She was arrested in October on a shoplifting charge and again on Jan. 22 on a felony drug possession charge and for driving with a suspended license, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records.

The 2006 Taurus appeared to be registered to a car rental or leasing company, Proffitt said. Investigators were looking into who might have rented or leased the car.

"The investigation is far from over," he said.

Times staff writer Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler contributed to this report. Graham Brink can be reached at 727 893-8406 or brink@sptimes.com

[Last modified February 3, 2006, 01:49:09]