Teen Driver Arrested for Involvement in Fatal St. Petersburg Car Crash

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on November 21, 2022

Nearly four months after the tragic incident occurred, a 17-year-old driver from St. Petersburg was taken into custody on Thursday for her alleged connection to a fatal auto accident that claimed the lives of two teenagers in early August.

According to details from the initial collision, it was shortly before 1 a.m. on August 6, 2022, when 17-year-old Nikia Killens was driving a black 2013 Buick Rendezvous along 11th Avenue South accompanied by a 14-year-old passenger and an 18-year-old passenger. It is unclear where the three teens were heading, but as the SUV approached the 4200 block of the street near the Childs Park neighborhood, something caused the Buick Rendezvous to leave the roadway and crash into an electrical pole.

Several St. Petersburg emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene of the single-car crash and upon their arrival, they quickly determined that all three individuals within the SUV were seriously injured. Fourteen-year-old St. Petersburg resident Shaariyah Brown was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg where she died from her injuries. The other passenger, eighteen-year-old Brice Lewis – also from St. Petersburg – was pronounced dead at the site of the accident. Nikia Killens, the driver of the SUV, was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Authorities with the St. Petersburg Police Department arrested Nikia Killens on Thursday. The teenager faces two counts of driving without a license causing serious bodily injury or death.

Local candlelight vigils have been planned for the two victims by family and friends. Shaariyah Brown was a bright & bubbly youth football cheerleader and Brice Lewis was a senior at St. Petersburg High School who was scheduled to graduate next year. “I’m torn. I’m heartbroken. Honestly, it’s just unbelievable. It’s devastating,” said Alfrieda Lewis, mother of Brice Lewis.

Since 1977, Florida wrongful death lawyer James O. Cunningham has been fighting for the rights of victims who have lost their lives in an auto accident. If you would like to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation, please submit a quick contact form on our website. To speak directly with an associate at our office, call us today at 877-FL-INJURY.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.