SJSO, FHP say no chase was involved in fatal St. Johns scooter crash

A 64-year-old St. Augustine woman driving a motorized scooter on Florida 16 died in a crash with a Tesla SUV that then struck a utility pole, overturned and caught fire, according to St. Johns County and Florida Highway Patrol authorities.

The 59-year-old St. Augustine man driving the Tesla also suffered serious injuries.

It happened about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. The Tesla driver was speeding eastbound on Florida 16 east of Lewis Speedway with the scooter in front of him, according to the Highway Patrol initial crash report.

"The front of Vehicle 1 struck the rear of Vehicle 2 and continued eastbound, striking a camera pole and traveling across all lanes of US 1 and into the parking lot of the Flagler Inn where it overturned and came to final rest on its roof," the FHP said.

The woman, who was wearing a helmet, died at the scene.

No names have been released or potential charges as the investigation remains active.

Was the Tesla being chased in the the fatal scooter crash?

Caleb Jarrard, owner of Black Diamond Coach and Limousine, told the St. John Citizen he was in the turn lane heading north on Ponce de Leon Boulevard and preparing to turn west onto Florida 16 when he saw the Tesla moving at high speed.

"It was being chased by two cop cars," Jarrard told the Citizen, describing one as a black undercover vehicle and the other as a marked sheriff's office unit. He also provided video.

Neither the Sheriff's Office of Highway Patrol had addressed that possibility. The Times-Union requested clarification and comment from the Sheriff's Office and FHP.

Master Sgt. Dylan Bryan of the Highway Patrol advised "at no point was the at-fault vehicle being chased by either FHP or the Saint Johns County Sheriff's Office. I believe some of the confusion was caused by the close proximity of two deputies being at the crash scene. Thankfully, they were able to quickly address the driver and the injuries involved."

The Sheriff's Office also provided an update that these investigation take time and some information is not released that could compromise a criminal case until finalized. But since false information is being misconstrued and publicized here is the summary of the Sheriff's Office involvement:

It began shortly before 7:30 p.m. when a deputy who stopped at the Circle K gas station on Florida 16 and Masters Drive was notified by a business employee about a suspicious individual in a black Tesla.

"When the deputy walked up to the vehicle to make contact with the subject, the driver exited the parking lot at a high rate of speed," the summary said. "The deputy reported the reckless driver over the radio to nearby units. As the Tesla traveled eastbound on SR 16, it struck an individual on a motorized scooter. With complete disregard to public safety, the driver continued traveling towards the intersection of SR 16 and US-1, where he passed a second SJSO deputy. Once that deputy had a visual on the Tesla, the deputy activated the emergency lights to safely u-turn at the railroad tracks.

"Just seconds later, the Tesla struck a pole, traveled across all lanes of US-1 and into the parking lot of the Flagler Inn, where it overturned," the summary continued. "The crash occurred before the deputy had time to initiate a traffic stop. Deputies arrived on scene immediately due to the information about a reckless driver in the area. Law enforcement was not in pursuit of the black Tesla and the chain of events were captured on the deputy's dash camera."

(This story has been updated with a response from the Sheriff's Office.)

Scott Butler has been an editor/reporter specializing in public safety coverage for 26 years with The Florida Times-Union. He can be reached at sbutler@jacksonville.com.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: SJSO, FHP say no chase was involved in fatal St. Johns scooter crash

Reporting by Scott Butler, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union

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This story was originally published July 9, 2026 at 5:47 PM.