2 teen drivers arrested in Tampa street racing crash that killed boy, police say

TAMPA — A 16-year-old boy died when the vehicle he was riding in rolled during an illegal street race in which drivers reached speeds up to 120 mph, police said Friday. Now, the 17-year-old and 19-year-old drivers are facing vehicular homicide charges in the aftermath of the boy’s death.

Weeks after the July 24 crash, the two drivers were arrested Wednesday, the Tampa Police Department said in a news release Friday.

Austin Lewis, 17, also faces a DUI manslaughter charge, according to police, while Kristopher Trenker, 19, also faces misdemeanor charges of operating an unregistered vehicle and driving with a suspended license.

According to the release, Lewis and Trenker were illegally racing on Adamo Drive, near 50th Street in Tampa, around 3 a.m. July 24 — Lewis in a 2021 red Kia Sorento SX and Trenker in a 2004 gray Infiniti G35.

The driver of another vehicle drove into the path of Lewis’ Kia, and he swerved to avoid hitting it, police said. Lewis drove across the median and hit a cement culvert, which caused his vehicle to become airborne and then roll multiple times.

A back-seat passenger was partially ejected during the crash, the release said. The 16-year-old boy, whom police have not named, died at the scene.

After the crash, investigators obtained a warrant to draw Lewis’ blood, police said. The Florida Department of Law enforcement tested the sample and measured his blood-alcohol level at 0.08%. The legal limit for Florida drivers is 0.08%.

Trenker was booked into a Hillsborough County jail Wednesday and released on an $8,000 bond Thursday, jail records show. Lewis did not show up in jail records Friday.

This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.