Scooter Driver Killed In Fiery Pinellas County Crash

PINELLAS PARK, FL — A 36-year-old Pinellas Park man is dead following a Tuesday night crash on County Road 296.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Jesop Ash was heading eastbound on Country Road 296 on a Tao I scooter around 10 p.m. Dec. 20. At that time, a Toyota SUV driven by Shayne Murphy, 24, of St. Petersburg was driving behind him.

Troopers say Murphy failed to notice Ash’s scooter, overtook it and struck the rear portion of the vehicle. The vehicles came to rest with the rear portion of the scooter underneath the front left part of the SUV, a highway patrol report said.

Both vehicles were also damaged during a “post-crash fire,” the report said.

Ash suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.

Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation, the patrol noted. No further information is being released at this time. Troopers did say that alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

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