Boy, 16, gets 9 years for fatal crash

On Aug. 1, 2007, Devan Larue, 15, sneaked past his sleeping mother, stole her keys and sped off in her Mitsubishi Eclipse to a friend's house.

The two picked up a third teen. Noticing the vehicle was low on fuel, the group drove to another pal's house to borrow money for gas. Then they headed for home and ran a stop sign in the process.

A Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy saw the car and put on his lights. Instead of pulling over, Larue hit the gas, ran a red light and smashed into a Jeep Wrangler carrying Danielle Edwards, 34, and her co-worker Bradley Womack, who was 20 at the time.

Larue was charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury.

Now 16 and charged as an adult, Larue was sentenced Tuesday to 91/2 years in prison followed by 51/2 years probation as part of a plea agreement.

"This is the most difficult letter I've ever written. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for you and your family. I can't even begin to imagine what you guys are going through. I sit up at night thinking about how much pain I caused and I cry. Some nights I have nightmares about the accident and wake up sweating.''

He wrote that he hoped the victim's family members don't mistake his letter for a plea for sympathy. He said it's his way of telling them he realizes the seriousness of his crime.

"I can't believe because of my selfish action I ended someone's life and caused so much pain to so many people,'' Larue wrote. "I'm so sorry for the life I've taken.''

But he did get into trouble after his initial arrest, which landed him back in jail.

His mother "advised him to cut off his ankle bracelet and he did,'' said prosecutor Scott Rosenwasser.

He was also arrested on charges of battery and possession of drug paraphernalia, Rosenwasser said.

Larue, an honor roll student at Dunedin Academy, didn't even have a learner's permit when he took the car that summer night and killed Edwards, a Palm Harbor resident, at Milwaukee Avenue and Beltrees Road in Dunedin.

A former waitress, Edwards is survived by her husband, Joe, and three sons ages 4 to 18.

According to Morris Bornstein, one of Larue's criminal defense attorneys, the victim's family is pursuing a civil suit against Larue and his mother.

Edwards' father, Dan Harrison, 63, said August will be a difficult month because it will mark a year without his daughter.

While he is still angry about the accident, he said, "Under the circumstances, the (plea deal) was probably the best we could do without a trial. And none of us wanted a trial.''

Times researcher Shirl Kennedy contributed to this report. Eileen Schulte can be reached at schulte@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4153.

Comments on this article

by Dawn	Jul 7, 2008 6:05 PM
This kid didnt get nearly enough time. I dont believe for one minute that this boy is sorry. There is 2 little boys that will NEVER see their mother again. I hope only bad things for him in jail! I miss you Danielle

by tami	Jul 7, 2008 5:15 PM
I knew him. He was a good kid. He did get into stuff AFTER the accident. He was on suicide watch. So many people when they were teens took moms car out.... DUMB. BUT the intention was not to kill. he just turned 15 and had no idea what could happen.

by inside source	Jul 6, 2008 4:15 PM
Candi it wasn't a chase, just a stop. he then fled, only about a quarter mile. His stupid red-neck mother and his actions after he bonded out sealed his faith. He would have probably only gotten probation, bt killn smone wsn't enough to behave

by Wade	Jul 6, 2008 3:49 PM
To all you citizens that have no clue what we do,,,,We did not chase him! I've been to the house during his house arrest. He continued to break the law and be a knucklehead. He is not sorry for what he did.

by Deborah	Jul 6, 2008 3:48 PM
This is what I hate about living in Florida, no where in that article does it say there was a chase, the kid stole the car and then killed someone. 9 years is not nearly enough. Nick Bollea didn't steal a car. Florida - learn to read for content.

by Pete	Jul 6, 2008 3:47 PM
Money buys a high priced attorney. That's the difference between 9 years and 8 months.

by Candi	Jul 5, 2008 11:51 PM
This is a shame, for the familys on both side's. Seem's like alot of time for such a young age. Proubly not enough time for the family of the victum's, but God does say forgive. Stupid mistake for driving at the age of 15, very sad

by Candi	Jul 5, 2008 11:51 PM
The cop's in your county are alway's chasing after some one to add to the feather's in there hat. I agree the cop didn't need to chase him down. The accident would not have happened. But it was an accident, that's why they call them accident's

by jan	Jul 5, 2008 10:21 PM
I didn't think police were allowed, by their own policy, to participate in a high-speed chase unless the driver had committed a felony. Running a red light is not a felony, and at the time they didn't have proof of any other crimes.

by Marco	Jul 5, 2008 10:21 PM
Hey Cathy, are you kidding me? A life is not worth a ticket??? Maybe you are telling the wrong person...And Noemi, read the law, charge owner with what? Certainly nothing as serious as running from the cops...again dont blame the right person!

by Hello?	Jul 5, 2008 10:21 PM
Why doesn't everyone try reading the actual story. There wasn't a chase. Instead of pulling over, the kid ran a red light and hit another car. The story never says there was a chase.

by cathy	Jul 5, 2008 12:35 AM
I wish police would stop chasing, they can call another car to be waiting ahead. I think they like the chase. How many innocent are dead because of police chases? A life is not worth a ticket. Stop police chasing and save lives.

by Lauren	Jul 4, 2008 6:56 PM
His mother advised him to cut off his ankle bracelet??? What kind of mother would do such a thing??? Encouraged her son to commit a crime....Very sad story. Very sad for both families.

by LDH	Jul 4, 2008 5:00 PM
Hey 'SSS', Nick Bollea's victim might as well be dead with the state he is in. He can't do anything for himself and was a war vetern. I agree, money CAN buy you out of anything, including murder. Think OJ, Phil Spector, Robert Blake, the list goes on

by Noemi	Jul 4, 2008 3:11 PM
Why didn't the police officer stop chassing these kids. The vehicle was not reported stolen - all he had to do was get tag# and then cite the owner of the vehicle. We all know teenagers make mistakes n r quick to react. To POLICE:Stop wasting GAS.

by stupid people suck	Jul 4, 2008 1:47 PM
Hey, idiots- Nick Bollea's victim didn't die, so he wasn't charged with Vehicular HOMICIDE. Different crimes bring different sentences. He wasn't drunk either. All of you are stupid.

by jason	Jul 4, 2008 1:23 PM
Wow, yet another sentencing which underlines what a light sentence Jeffrey Montgomery received for killing one teen, leaving the scene and later lying about the whole thing.

by pop	Jul 4, 2008 12:10 PM
bad situation BUT nick boella puts his friend in a vegtable state & really gets a slap on the rist for his actions drunk driving???? must be nice to have a rich father in a situation like this

by Jim	Jul 4, 2008 12:04 PM
I agree with Fred, just why did hulk hogan son get only 8 months....Funny how money can buy your way out of trouble, but its always been that way.

by Anne	Jul 4, 2008 11:55 AM
And Nick Bollea cries over 8 months?

by Fred	Jul 4, 2008 11:53 AM
This is very similar to Hulk Hogan's son's case, why did he only get 8 months in jail?

by Dawn	Jul 4, 2008 11:44 AM
How does this 16 year old end up with a 9 year sentence, while an adult who did the same thing in pasco, to a mother pushing a stroller, mother dies and he gets nothing? Our systems is sickenly flawed here.

by tim	Jul 4, 2008 11:33 AM
Another case of the police instigating a high speed chase and an innocent bystander gets killed. Happens everyday.

by Mel	Jul 4, 2008 10:54 AM
Was his mother charged with anything? Who was the battery on? The article is missing some information I would like to know.