An 18-year-old St. Petersburg man, identified by police as Angel Burke, died early Sunday after losing control of his Dodge Charger on a rain-slicked stretch of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North. The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. near 68th Avenue North, and officers pronounced Burke dead at the scene after the car slid sideways and the driver-side doors slammed into a tree.
What Police Say Happened
According to a news release and reporting by Tampa Bay 28, Burke was driving southbound on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North when he tried to pass another vehicle and lost control of the Charger on the wet pavement. The car slid, hit a tree on the driver’s side and never made it back onto the roadway. The St. Petersburg Police Department says the crash remains under investigation.
Why Wet Roads Turn Deadly Fast
Wet pavement sharply raises the risk of hydroplaning, especially at higher speeds or when tires are…..