Crime & Safety

Driver in Deadly Curlew Rd. Crash Arrested After Release From Hospital

Robert Henry Raymer Jr., 54, of Holiday was killed in the Dec. 12 crash when his pickup truck was hit by a stolen BMW driven by Jonathan Peter Bytautas, 29, of Clearwater, authorities say.

The man who authorities say was driving a stolen BMW that caused a deadly crash on Curlew Road back in December is now charged with one count of vehicular homicide.

Jonathan Peter Bytautas, 29, was arrested Wednesday, Jan. 23, following his release from St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, according to Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Steve Gaskins. Bytautas was transported to the Hillsborough County Jail with bond set at $250,000.

Bytautas had been hospitalized since the Dec. 12 crash, which happened around 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of McMullen Booth and Curlew roads in Palm Harbor. FHP Investigators say Bytautas was driving a 2008 BMW 550i when he ran a red light on McMullen Booth and crashed into a Chevy pickup driven by Robert Henry Raymer Jr., 54, of Holiday. Raymer died at the scene of the crash.

Find out what's happening in Palm Harborwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The vehicles collided with a third vehicle, a pickup truck, during the crash. The pickup was driven by 60-year-old George Neil Paajanen of Palm Harbor. He suffered minor injuries and was not hospitalized.

Clearwater Police say the BMW driven by Bytautas had been stolen from a Clearwater home the night before the crash. The case is still under investigation, according to Clearwater Police spokeswoman Elizabeth Watts.

Find out what's happening in Palm Harborwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bytautas is a Clearwater resident.

Correction: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect date for when the BMW was reportedly stolen.

Related-

  • Man Killed in Crash at McMullen Booth and Curlew Roads

Want the news delivered to your email box every morning? Subscribe to the Palm Harbor Patch newsletter. It's free and we don't give out your email address. Sign up here.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Palm Harbor