Pinellas Park Police are investigating a deadly two-vehicle crash on Tuesday night.
Officers say around 11:05 p.m., one vehicle left Park Boulevard at 63rd Street North and struck a tree.
"I was upstairs watching TV heard what I initially though sounded like a backfire, thought it was just cars racing and then I hear a loud thud and I felt my apartment shake," said Natasha Francis, who lives nearby.
One man died at the scene of the crash. Paramedics transported five other people to an area hospital for treatment.
According to the crash report, a 15-year-old female, who has her learner's permit, was driving a 2004 Red Mazda 3 with 5 passengers in the car. Andrew Lightsey, 27, of St. Petersburg was driving a 2014 brown Nissan 4 door vehicle with one passenger in the vehicle with him.
The investigation revealed that both vehicles were traveling at a high rate of speed on Park Boulevard when another vehicle pulled onto Park Boulevard from 62 Way N causing one of the speeding vehicles to change lanes, ultimately swiping the other speeding vehicle. The driver of the Mazda lost control and left the roadway, striking a tree.
Police say it is possible the vehicles were racing each other and the third vehicle was not at fault in the crash.
The front passenger of the Mazda was identified as Glenis Mullins III. Mullins was pronounced dead on scene and the other four passengers, ranging in ages from 15 to 18, including the 15-year-old driver, were transported to area hospitals. All five suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The driver and passenger of the Nissan were not injured and the vehicle sustained only minor damage.
We spoke with two of Mullins' neighbors, Wednesday afternoon. They were shocked about the crash.
"It's kind of surreal 'cause I was just talking to him yesterday afternoon in the garage and....(it's) still not setting in, you know," Eric Threats said.
"Why would you (go) racing down the road with a bunch of kids in the car? Doesn't make sense to me," Scott Gimbert said.
"We get one life to live....especially when you're raising your kids. You get one example to set. It's tragic that it ended in the wrong way," Gimbert said.
"To hear something like that....is sinking in now. I feel sorry for the family - for the neighborhood, but it could have been avoided," Threats said.
The investigation continues and criminal charges are possible.
