Police: Teen dies in crash following hit-and-run

2 others hospitalized with life-threatening injuries

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 15-year-old passenger in a car fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run crash Wednesday has died, according to Jacksonville police.

Tyriq Grant, an Ed White High School freshman, was one of three in the car that crashed into a power pole about 9:45 a.m. on Old Middleburg Road at Memorial Park Road on the Westside.

All three were taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, and Grant died at the hospital. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The identities of the other two involved have not been released.

Police said the car was fleeing the scene of a minor accident at Lane and Lenox avenues.

Peter Willis, a witness to the crash, said the driver involved in the initial accident with the car Grant was in was chasing it after it left the scene. He said that's when the driver of Grant's car lost control and ran up onto the sidewalk, hitting the power pole.

"There were three individuals on the ground, two were bleeding and one had gotten up. The driver and then he just collapsed," Willis said.

Grant's mother said Thursday her son was just like any other teenager and made a terrible mistake. She said he was dropped off to ride the bus at 6:40 a.m. Wednesday and went to school.

"I said, 'Son, I love you. Have a good day and do what you need to do in school,'" said Grant's mother, who didn't want to be identified.

She said Grant must have left school in homeroom or first period.

"He just made a bad decision," she said. "Teenagers do things, but this time the mistake cost him his life."

Grant's mother said she went to pick him up at 2 p.m. from his bus stop and he didn't come off, so she drove around to find him. She said that at about 4 p.m., police notified her of her son's death.

Grant's family said he was a promising student who loved basketball and went to church. Grant's mother said she hopes the other two involved in the crash will recover.

"I pray that they can make it through and their parents don't have to go through the loss that I'm going through," she said. "'Cause I miss my son. Lord knows I miss my son."