TAMPA BAY, Fla- — A woman is behind bars after taking a stolen car on a high-speed chase that ended halfway across the Howard Frankland Bridge.
Florida troopers received an alert to be on the lookout for a silver, 2017 Nissan Altima as it was reported stolen from a rental company in Gainesville.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, a trooper saw the Nissan in traffic on Interstate 275 near Dale Mabry Highway. He then deployed a GPS tracking device called StarChase to track the car as it continued south on I-275.
Once the trooper turned on his emergency lights the car moved to the inside shoulder and sped up to more than 100 mph, weaving in and out of traffic, FHP said.
Another trooper in a faster vehicle took over and caught up with the Nissan after the driver tried to enter a construction zone. A PIT maneuver successfully stopped the Nissan. Troopers then arrested the driver, Wykeria Stevenson, 26, of Dunnellon, Florida. FHP reports Stevenson had a suspended driver's license and multiple warrants out of Georgia.
Stevenson faces charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, flee to elude law enforcement at high speed, flee and attempt to elude, reckless driving with damage to a person of property, driving while license suspended or revoked, and aggravated assault on a first responder.
