ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Police have arrested the driver who reportedly stole a car with an 8-month-old boy still inside.
Police arrested 19-year-old Rashad Levon Webb just before 2 a.m. Thursday.
Officers from the Violent Crimes Task Force spotted the stolen rented Toyota Corolla early Thursday, but when they tried to stop him, he drove off at a high rate of speed. Officers deployed stop sticks and Webb ultimately stopped the vehicle in the 2200 block of 15th Avenue South and surrended.
Webb was wanted for reportedly stealing a car from the Gateway Apartments located at 501 116th Avenue around 12:22 p.m. on Monday with the baby strapped in a carrier in the back seat.
St. Pete police said the child's father put his son in his Toyota Camry, then realized he didn't have his wallet. He left the car running and unlocked as he went back into his home. When he came out, the car was gone.
Webb has been charged with child abuse, occupied vehicle burglary, auto theft and his bond has been set at $90,000 in relation to the car theft. He was also charged with auto theft, fleeing and eluding and no valid driver's license from the incident that occurred Thursday morning.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS:
12:22 p.m. | Car with baby inside reported stolen.
12:49 p.m | 911 received call about baby located in parking lot.
1:02 p.m. | Car located in South St. Petersburg.
About 30 minutes later, the child was found safe in a parking lot located at 800 71st Ave. North. about three miles south of the apartments.
Then by 1:02 p.m., the car was located about 6 miles away from that location in the 2700 block of 19th Street South.
The bicycle was processed for fingerprints.
Baby Found Safe!! left in a parking lot. Car is still on the loose. https://t.co/LYAVzqF2H9
— St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) April 23, 2018
#stpetepd actively searching for 2001 Teal Camry stolen with 8 month old boy in the backseat. If you see it call 893-7780
— St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) April 23, 2018
"He should be charged with everything....kidnapping, you know, a car theft anything else," Ricardo Larzabal said.
