Stolen car crash leaves driver dead after Palmetto chase, Manatee deputies say
An 18-year-old man died Monday night after crashing a stolen car while deputies attempted a traffic stop in Palmetto, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies identified the driver as Michael Jerome Austin of Ruskin, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital following the crash. Deputies said driver of the car he crashed into was treated at the hospital for minor injuries.
Deputies received an alert around 8 p.m. about a stolen Honda Accord reported out of Hillsborough County traveling south on U.S. 41 near Palmetto, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies later located the vehicle in the 4900 block of U.S. 41 and confirmed it was stolen before beginning to follow it, according to a news release.
After additional units arrived, deputies said they attempted a traffic stop in the 1000 block of U.S. 41. The driver initially slowed before making a U-turn at Seventh Street and U.S. 41 and turning east onto 17th Street East, according to the sheriff’s office.
About a half-mile ahead of deputies, the stolen vehicle ran into the back of another car in the 1800 block of 17th Street East, according to the release. The sheriff’s office said the impact caused the stolen vehicle to spin out of control and roll several times. The other vehicle came to rest in the front yard of a nearby residence, deputies said.
Austin was found unconscious and pulled from the vehicle by fire rescue personnel before being taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:12 p.m., deputies said.
The other driver, a 24-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries, the sheriff’s office said.
No further details were immediately released.
This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 11:56 AM.
