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Judge denies bail to man accused of causing crash that killed local chef

 
Jefferson Davis, father of Aaron Davis, bows his head and cries Monday during the bail hearing for Joseph Lanard Mitchell, the man accused of speeding away from St. Petersburg police and fatally hitting his son, who was walking after leaving work.
Jefferson Davis, father of Aaron Davis, bows his head and cries Monday during the bail hearing for Joseph Lanard Mitchell, the man accused of speeding away from St. Petersburg police and fatally hitting his son, who was walking after leaving work.
Published April 28, 2015

LARGO — A judge denied bail on Monday for Jason Lanard Mitchell, the man police said sped away from officers in downtown St. Petersburg, blasted through stoplights and killed chef Aaron Davis.

In the same court hearing, Davis' father, Jefferson Davis, said he forgives Mitchell, 25, but believes he should be held without bail.

Aaron Davis, 31, had just left work at the Kitchen St. Pete about 2 a.m. April 11 and was crossing Second Street in the north crosswalk of Central Avenue. A few minutes earlier, police had attempted to stop Mitchell as he sped in a rented Dodge Charger off Interstate 375 onto Fourth Avenue N, police said.

Assistant State Attorney Jennifer Menendez-Kotch said Davis and another pedestrian were walking across the street with a green light when Mitchell sped into the intersection traveling more than 80 mph. Mitchell struck both men, killing Davis, she said.

After Monday's hearing, Jefferson Davis told reporters, "I just want the St. Petersburg community to know what a wonderful boy Aaron was and how much he loved this community."

Davis said he had prepared for a celebration of life service in Wisconsin, where he lives, and had spent some time going through pictures from when Aaron was a baby, "and then when he was in school, and then when we went deer hunting, and to the Badger football games, and church, and being dedicated to the Lord. And that's when the emotional thing kicked in. And I just cried for a week."

Three days after Davis' death, his wife, Ana, gave birth to their second child, Andrew Aaron Lawrence Davis.

Mitchell's attorney, Kelly McCabe, suggested in court Monday that the evidence was not clear that Mitchell was the driver. She also disputed the state's contention that Mitchell did not try to stop, and questioned the reliability of the auto data device that said Mitchell was speeding through downtown St. Petersburg at 80 mph. Mitchell attempted to leave the police station during the investigation, which led police to accuse him of escape. But McCabe said it was not escape, because he had not been arrested yet.

The legal case against Mitchell is still in the early stages. He has not been formally charged, and a trial date has not been set. Mitchell is facing multiple possible charges, including DUI manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, fleeing a law enforcement officer and escape. Authorities have not released the results of Mitchell's blood-alcohol levels.

Mitchell at the time of the April 11 accident was facing cocaine sale and possession charges. It's not unusual for someone to be held without bail if they get arrested while already facing criminal charges.