HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla — A Tampa man was injured in a Gandy Bridge crash early Sunday morning after trying to flee from troopers at speeds above 100mph, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said.
The driver, Brandon Ramnarine, 31, of Tampa, was charged with fleeing and eluding at high speed.
WATCH: Tampa man injured in crash fleeing from troopers above 100 mph
A trooper on patrol along the Gandy Bridge at about 1 a.m. saw Ramnarine in a Toyota Supra traveling at 93 mph in a 55-mph speed zone, according to an FHP report.
FHP officials said the trooper attempted a traffic stop, but Ramnarine fled eastbound on the bridge at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
The trooper then conducted a PIT (precision immobilization technique) maneuver on the Supra at the east end of the bridge.
It caused the vehicle to rotate onto the shoulder, collide with a light pole, and catch fire.
Ramnarine suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital for medical care.
A passenger in the vehicle, a 32-year-old Tampa man, also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital.
“This is just an insult.”
Florida’s new budget includes millions of dollars in pay raises for Florida Highway Patrol troopers after the state agency has struggled to fill positions and retain troopers. But an FHP advocate says the raises don’t go far enough.