St. Pete police make arrest in shooting, fiery crash on Tyrone Boulevard

ST. PETERSBURG — Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the death of a man found shot after a fiery car crash on Tyrone Boulevard earlier this year.

Jaylen Shazell, 22, was arrested Thursday on a felony first degree murder charge in the death of 25-year-old Demond Perry, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department. Police said Shazell was involved in a car chase and shooting that caused Demond Perry’s car to overturn and catch fire on Feb. 12.

According to police, Shazell left a nightclub just before 3 a.m. and was involved in the pursuit of Perry’s Infiniti, which was shot at at least two dozen times. Perry lost control and crashed on Tyrone Boulevard near Ninth Avenue, police said.

Perry was trapped inside the car. Once freed, he was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he died.

The next day, police learned that Perry suffered gunshot wounds before the crash. Detectives began a homicide investigation — the city’s first of the year.

A police spokesperson said Shazell was arrested Thursday evening. He was not showing up in Pinellas County booking records Friday afternoon.

A spokesperson said it was unclear if other suspects were involved. Detectives were still investigating Friday.