At approximately 8:00 p.m. on January 5, 2026, deputies received an alert about a stolen vehicle from Hillsborough County traveling southbound in the 7300 block of U.S. 41 near Palmetto.
Deputies located the stolen Honda Accord in the 4900 block of U.S. 41 and confirmed it was stolen before beginning to follow it. After additional units arrived, deputies attempted a traffic stop in the 1000 block of U.S. 41.
The driver initially slowed down but then made a U-turn at the intersection of 7th Street and U.S. 41, before turning east onto 17th Street East.
The stolen vehicle was about a half a mile ahead of deputies when it struck the rear of another car in the 1800 block of 17th Street East in Palmetto. The impact caused the stolen vehicle to spin out of control and roll several times. The other vehicle came to rest in the front yard of a nearby residence.
The driver of the stolen vehicle, identified as 18-year-old Michael Jerome Austin of Ruskin, was found unconscious and was extricated by fire rescue personnel. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:12 p.m. The other driver, a 24-year-old female, was also taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.
