Published on Saturday, February 26, 2005
in the St. Petersburg Times

Driver's pursuit unwise, FHP says

ST. PETERSBURG - It all started about 2 a.m. when Butch Rinard Jr. exited northbound Interstate 275 at 54th Avenue S.

A sport utility vehicle struck Rinard's car and kept going, driving the wrong way up an exit ramp and continuing onto I-275. Rinard followed.

For roughly 4 miles early Thursday, the two cars drove against traffic, at times reaching speeds of 85 mph.

Rinard abandoned the chase near the Skyway Fishing Pier. The other driver, 25-year-old Joel Melody of Treasure Island, continued several more miles before colliding with a car head-on near the top of the Skyway, killing himself and a 27-year-old Tampa woman.

Rinard should have immediately called the Florida Highway Patrol, rather than chase Melody, FHP spokesman Larry Coggins said Friday. If he had, a trooper nearby might have gotten an earlier start on trying to stop Melody, he said.

It was bad enough with one man driving the wrong way, Coggins said.

"I just cringe when I think that someone could have met both of them head-on a lot quicker," Coggins said.

While driving on the wrong side of the road is illegal, Coggins said, it is unlikely that Rinard will face charges.

The FHP didn't witness Rinard traveling on the wrong side of the road, and didn't know about it until Friday, Coggins said.

"These were extenuating circumstances," Coggins said. "It's hard to say."

He added: "There can always be civil ramifications later, but I don't think it has anything to do with law enforcement at this time."

Drivers should always call authorities rather than take matters into their own hands, Coggins said.

"He (Rinard) was very fortunate he didn't get hurt yesterday," Coggins said.

Rinard, 47, could not be reached on Friday.

He said in an interview Thursday that he had exited I-275 north at 54th Avenue S about 2 a.m. At the stop light, he saw a vehicle coming toward him about 40-50 mph.

He said the vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee driven by Melody, already was traveling on the wrong side of the road on 34th Street S, heading toward the on-ramp for I-275.

Rinard said he tried to move out of the way, but Melody clipped his car. Both cars spun around, Rinard said.

He thought Melody was going to stop, but Melody continued on toward the Skyway, going south in the northbound lanes, heading into traffic.

Rinard said he wanted to get Melody's license plate number for the insurance company. He followed behind.

He said he didn't realize they were traveling the wrong way until he saw the Skyway toll booths on the other side of the road. He continued following Melody, traveling at least 85 mph, Rinard said. (The speed limit is 65 mph).

His hazard lights flashing, Rinard met up with Melody around the area of the toll booth, then pulled beside Melody, honking and flashing his lights, trying to get Melody to stop. Melody was in the fast lane, Rinard in the slow lane, he said.

Oncoming cars swerved out of the way to avoid them, Rinard said.

He said Melody glanced over once with a blank look. He said it looked as if Melody didn't even understand why Rinard was trying to get him to stop.

"At that point, I'm a little worried," Rinard said Thursday. "I'm figuring I'm going to get hit head-on."

Rinard said he also was worried Melody would crash into oncoming cars. He said he pulled in front of Melody's car and decelerated, trying to get him to stop. But Melody just inched closer.

Rinard said he abandoned the chase at the north fishing pier, roughly 4 miles from where he began.

Rinard flagged down an FHP trooper at the rest stop. The FHP patrols the bridge around the clock.

"I told him, "There's a guy in the northbound lane who just hit my car and sped away,"' Rinard recalled saying.

The trooper told him: "Okay, stay right here," according to Rinard.

Melody drove another roughly 3 miles to the top of the bridge, then crashed into two cars, killing himself and another driver, 27-year-old Erica Reed of Tampa.

"Please, never take law enforcement into your own hands," Coggins said. "Stop immediately and report it."