ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A year ago this month, two sisters and a man were killed in a crash on State Road 16 in St. Johns County. On Thursday, two drivers -- one 70 years old and the other 20 -- were arrested Thursday and charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter resulting from the crash.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Joseph Devenuta was driving a Ford F-150 and Lucas Hedetmiemi-Hart was at the wheel of a van, both driving recklessly on State Road 16 about 7 p.m. on May 14, 2020. According to the FHP report, video surveillance shows the drivers chasing each other while heading west, trying to run each other off the road.
After the chase had gone more than two miles on S.R. 16, troopers said Devenuta ran a red light at the intersection of Woodlawn Road and his pickup truck struck an SUV that was stopped in the road. The driver of that Chevrolet Equinox, 71-year-old Christopher Converse, along with Patricia Vos, 73, and her sister, Lora Holley, 65, were killed in the crash.
Devenuta told troopers investigating the crash that he was was trying to use his cell phone to take a picture of the vehicle he was chasing. Neither driver called 911 to report the pursuit, according to the FHP report.
Devenuta, who lives in Green Cove Springs, and Hedetniemi-Hart, of St. Augustine, were both arrested Thursday. They are each charged with three counts of vehicular homicide “by operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner.” Both are being held on a $450,000 bond pending their first appearances before a judge.
We are attempting to learn more about both men and the victims of this crash. Return to this story later in the afternoon and watch News4Jax at 5 and 6 p.m. for full reports.