Johnny Martin charged after son, 13, killed in street race

A Florida father has been arrested in the death of his 13-year-old son after the boy was killed by a speeding motorcycle during an illegal street race last month.

Police in St. Petersburg said that Johnny Martin, 35, took his son, Ethan, to the unsanctioned racing event that was staged on Jan. 28 in the area of 28th Street and 110th Avenue.

At around 12:35 a.m., Ethan stepped into the road and was struck by a motorcycle traveling at 100 mph, according to police.

Ethan was pronounced dead from his injuries the following day. Another pedestrian was seriously injured.

The motorcycle driver was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg in critical condition but has since been released.

Police have not said whether the biker, who has not been named, will be charged in Ethan Martin’s death.

Meanwhile, Johnny Martin is facing charges of child neglect and participating in a street race as a spectator.

Martin was booked into the Pinellas County jail Wednesday and was released Thursday after posting $10,000 bail.

According to his obituary, Ethan was an eighth-grader at Endeavor Academy, where his favorite subject was math.

“Ethan was always an energetic boy, who loved being outdoors in nature or at the beach,” the online obituary reads. “His favorite activity was fishing with his family.”

The boy is survived by his parents and two younger siblings.