Holiday Man Crashes Into Vehicle, Flees From Deputies Twice

PALM HARBOR, FL - An 18-year-old Holiday man was arrested Sunday morning after crashing his mother's car into the rear of another vehicle and then fleeing from deputies, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department. Kingzig Montanez was charged with fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of a crash with injury/property damage, no valid driver's license, resisting arrest without violence and DUI.

The incident occurred about 1:41 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21 near the intersection of U.S. 19 North and Tampa Road.

According to investigators, Montanez was driving a 2017 Hyundai Elantra southbound on U.S. 19 North near Innisbrook Drive. Deputies say he was driving at a high rate of speed when he passed a deputy and swerved into the traffic lane in front of the deputy's patrol vehicle. The deputy activated his emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the Hyundai but Montanez fled southbound on U.S. 19 North.

The deputy did not pursue Montanez and lost sight of the Hyundai. Investigators say Montanez continued southbound towards the intersection of Tampa Road when he rear-ended a Fiat 500 driven by 28-year-old Heath Ready of Clearwater, who was stopped in the right southbound lane at the Tampa Road intersection in Palm Harbor.

As deputies were arriving at the crash scene, they saw Montanez fleeing on foot. Deputies gave chase and apprehended Montanez a short distance away.

Paramedics responded and transported Ready and his two passengers, 22-year-old Annabelle Gardner and 27-year-old Richard Serrra III, to Mease Countryside Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputies arrested Montanez and transported him to Mease Countryside Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

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