A 42-year-old Titusville man fleeing from law enforcement was killed early Friday morning after his car struck a gate and crashed into a ditch in Brevard County.
The fatal crash occurred at around 2:20 a.m. on Friday, February 14, near the intersection of Park Avenue and South Street, according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol.
The report stated that the 42-year-old man was fleeing from Titusville Police Department officers at a high rate of speed in a 2025 Hyundai Elantra. A witness told investigators that the car was “blacked out” with its headlights and taillights turned off.
As the Hyundai was traveling westbound on Park Avenue, east of the South Street intersection, the vehicle collided with a closed gate near a “Brevard County dump/HAZMAT site.”
After the initial impact, the Hyundai veered off the roadway and went airborne before striking a ditch. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The report stated that the Hyundai’s driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. His name was not released by law enforcement.
A trooper noted in the report that TPD officers had lost sight of the Hyundai approximately one mile away from the intersection of Park Avenue and South Street. The car was not being actively pursued by police when the crash occurred, though units were attempting to locate it.
According to FHP, a stolen firearm was recovered from the Hyundai. No further details were provided in the report.
The crash remains under investigation.