A two car traffic crash on Highway 98 in Okaloosa County early today killed one of two drivers involved. The crash happened one mile east of Pier Road at 2:55 AM.

The Florida Highway Patrol says 49 year old Stephen C. Powers of Fort Walton Beach was killed when his car was struck from the rear by another car traveling at a high rate of speed. His car slid off the roadway and overturned.

The driver of the speeding car, 23 year old Marc Perez of Valparaiso and a passenger, Phillip T. Carmarda of Niceville fled from the area on foot but were arrested a short while later. Perez faces charges of DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

Camarda, the passenger, was jailed on charges of leaving the scene of an accident and failure to render aid.