The Brief
St. Petersburg police arrested Kendric Stephens, 37, following a hit-and-run crash that sent a car inside a St. Pete home and sparked a fire.
The homeowners awoke to a car inside their living room and were forced to knock down a backyard fence to escape the spreading flames.
Investigators confirmed the vehicle belonged to a family member of the suspect and was not stolen as initially reported.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A man was arrested after a hit-and-run crash sent a vehicle into a St. Petersburg home and ignited a fire early Monday morning, according to the St. Pete Police Department.
St. Pete hit-and-run investigation
What we know
Police say detectives arrested Kendric Stephens, 37, Wednesday in connection with the crash in the 4400 block of 14th Avenue South.
Investigators say Stephens was the driver involved in the crash that left a home heavily damaged.
Police said the vehicle Stephens was driving belonged to a family member and was not stolen, correcting earlier information reported during the initial stages of the investigation.
Charges filed against suspect
According to police, Stephens faces the following charges:
Leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage
Driving while license suspended, canceled or revoked
Vehicle crash cause
What we don’t know
Police said a booking photo for Stephens was not immediately available.
Investigators have not released additional details about what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway and crash inside the home.
Car crashed into home, sparked fire
The backstory
According to police, the crash occurred shortly before 3 a.m. Monday at a home in the Childs Park neighborhood.
Investigators say a Honda Accord slammed through the front wall of a home, crashing into the living room and sparking a fire.
St. Pete Fire Rescue crews quickly extinguished the flames.
Two people who were inside the home at the time escaped without injury.
Authorities said the driver fled the scene on foot immediately after the crash.
Homeowners escaped through backyard
What they’re saying
Homeowner Sandra Henderson previously told FOX 13 that she and her husband were asleep when they were awakened by a loud crash.
Her husband discovered a vehicle inside the living room and flames spreading through the home.
The couple escaped through a back door and knocked down a fence while fleeing the fire.
“And all I saw was a car on top of my car and the house was on fire,” Henderson said.
What’s next
The couple started a fundraiser to help repair their home and replace their belongings.
The Source
Information for this story was provided by the St. Petersburg Police Department and previous FOX 13 News reporting.