Florida police say a 15-year-old girl died after officers pulled her from a burning car following a high-speed chase, but admit they were initially unaware she had been left in the back seat.
Dash cam video released by the Lakeland Police Department shows Officer Scott Hutton attempt to pull over the stolen vehicle before the 16-year-old male driver takes off.
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Several minutes later, the car attempts to avoid several other vehicles and is sent skidding off the road before colliding with a tree.
The pursuing officer is seen approaching the car with his weapon drawn, before he opens the driver’s door and pulls the 16-year-old to safety.
According to a release posted on the Lakeland police Facebook page, Hutton did not immediately notice the 15-year-old girl in the back seat of the burning vehicle following the crash.
Police also said the 16-year-old “continued to resist arrest” as Hutton attended to him.
“The female passenger had been thrown into the back seat as a result of the collision.”
The statement adds that “responding back-up officers were made aware that there may be a second subject in the vehicle,” but did not provide details on how that information became known.
Officers used fire extinguishers to push back the flames in an effort to reach the girl and pull her from the car.
The 15-year-old was “unresponsive and gravely injured,” and was airlifted to an Orlando hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating the crash.
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The 16-year-old driver has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude resulting in death, manslaughter and driving with no license resulting in a death.
Police say the teen had three prior felonies and eight misdemeanor arrests.
The driver is being treated for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries and will be transported to jail once released from hospital.
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