Man Fled 2 Crash Sites, Filed False Stolen Car Report: St. Pete Police

A man faces charges after fleeing 2 crash sites — one on foot — and falsely reporting that his vehicle had been stolen, St. Pete police said

By Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff

Sep 16, 2026 12:23 PM EDT

A man faces charges after fleeing two crash sites — one on foot — and falsely reporting that his vehicle had been stolen, St. Pete police said. (Courtesy of St. Petersburg Police Department)

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A St. Petersburg man faces charges after authorities said he was involved in two Tuesday morning crashes, leaving the scenes of both, and later falsely reported that his vehicle had been stolen.

Officers were investigating a hit-and-run crash just before 6:30 a.m. at 22nd Avenue South and 31st Street South when the same vehicle was involved in another crash on the Interstate 275 ramp at 54th Avenue South, St. Petersburg police told Patch.

The driver left the second crash scene on foot and was later found walking along 31st Street South, police said. When officers approached him, he ran away.

Police later received a report about a stolen vehicle matching the description of the car involved in both crashes.

Officers determined the person who made the report was the same man they believed was involved in the hit-and-run crashes.

The man was attempting to file a false report that his vehicle had been stolen, investigators said.

Shannon Purnell, 37, was charged with providing false information to law enforcement concerning an alleged crime, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage and reckless driving.