Investigators say the driver of this car lost control and crashed into a tree.
Rugene Moore / News Channel 8

By Stephen Thompson
The Tampa Tribune

ST. PETERSBURG - A 16-year-old boy riding in the back seat of a car early this morning was killed when the driver lost control of the vehicle and it flipped and struck a tree, according to St. Petersburg police.

Roderick R. McCullough, of 1753 Tifton Terrace South, was pronounced dead at the scene.

McCullough was in a 2007 Nissan driven by Katrina R. Megarrah, 36, of 1508 28th Ave. S, police said. Also in the Nissan, riding in the front seat, was Emmitt Crater, also 16, of 4535 Yarmouth Ave. S.

Megarrah was driving the Nissan at a high rate of speed in the 3600 block of 37th Street South when she lost control of the car, police said.

The Nissan hit the center median, went across the road and into a ditch, at which point it started flying in the air, flipped and struck a tree in front of 3615 37th Street S. at about 3:10 a.m., police said.

Megarrah was in the intensive care unit at Bayfront Medical Center, police said. Crater was able to crawl out the rear window of the car and was also at Bayfront, police said.

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