HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA: A 45-year-old Florida man has died after being struck by a truck driver, who was speeding and trying to evade a police officer in Prince George County. The incident took place at around 11.40 pm on Friday, July 28 when Prince George County police attempted to stop a 1998 Dodge truck that was going over the speed limit on the 5700 block of Oaklawn Boulevard, according to the Virginia police department.
Instead of pulling over, the pickup driver tried to elude the police by continuing to drive along Oaklawn Boulevard. The officer followed the pickup as it drove east down Oaklawn Boulevard and then continued into the City of Hopewell. A few moments later, the driver horrifically struck a 2021 Toyota Camry at the intersection of Oaklawn Boulevard and Ashland Avenue. The impact of the collision made Camry spin out and hit the signal light pole in the intersection. The pick-up truck also flipped over during the crash, as per ABC 8 News.
Who was Andre Bassette?
After the crash, state police said the truck driver ran away from the scene and the Camry driver, who was identified as Andre Bassette of Jacksonville, Florida, was taken to Tri-Cities Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Despite doctors’ best efforts, the Florida man was pronounced dead in the center a few hours later. State police said he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The pick-up driver, who was later identified as 34-year-old Tequan Devon Taylor, was soon arrested by the deputies in the county. Charges against Taylor are currently pending, according to Prince George County Police. The Virginia State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is currently investigating the crash.
Similar incident
Bassette’s tragic death came just a few days after another Florida man died following a horrific crash that caused his car to dive into the Manatee River. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) noted that the incident happened when a sedan traveling south in Manatee County approached a parking lot at 1605 Fort Hamer Road at around 3.04 am on Friday, July 14. The driver failed to negotiate the left curve of the road, which led the sedan to enter the parking lot.
Troopers said the vehicle continued before it crashed into the Manatee River. The driver of the sedan managed to escape the scene but the 18-year-old passenger remained. The Florida man was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials say both men, from Bradenton, were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
