Arrest Made In Fatal Hit-And-Run Accident At Church In October

PINELLAS PARK, FL — More than three months after a fatal hit-and-run accident in Pinellas Park, police have arrested a St. Petersburg man.

The arrest stems from a crash on Oct. 14 at 2:45 a.m. at 62nd Avenue and 55th Street North involving a 2020 red Chevy Camaro and a motorcycle, which resulted in the Camaro crashing into Our Lady of Good Hope Church at 5501 62nd Ave.

During their investigation, police determined Eric Lavghun Dennis, 30, was driving the Camaro at a high speed along 62nd Avenue and crashed into the rear of a motorcycle driven by Gail Hall, 39, of Pinellas Park, with passenger Kelly Riley, 34, of Largo, on the back.

Both Hall and Riley were thrown from the motorcycle. The Camaro then crashed through the front of Our Lady of Good Hope Church, causing significant damage but no one was inside at the time.

Riley was pronounced dead at the hospital, and Hall suffered severe injuries from the crash.

Police said Dennis fled the crash scene without notifying law enforcement or rendering aid to Riley or Hall.

Dennis turned himself in to the Pinellas Park Police Department Monday and was taken to the Pinellas County Jail, where he was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, two counts of vehicular homicide and reckless driving with property damage and injury.

See related story: Crash Kills Passenger On Motorcycle; Propels Car Into Church