Man carjacks mother with baby in car; chase ensues

HERNANDO, Fla. (FOX 13) - A traffic stop for faulty equipment violations turned into a chase, carjacking and child abduction in Sumter, Marion and Citrus counties Tuesday afternoon, according to FHP.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the passenger in a car they stopped ran from them, then later carjacked a woman and almost drove away with the woman's infant still inside the car.

Troopers said they stopped a car on I-75 near mile marker 329 in Sumter County for seatbelt and faulty equipment violations. The driver, 23-year-old Dillon Martin, of Floral City, was taken into custody for driving with a suspended driver license and drug violations. But FHP says the passenger, 27-year-old Douglas Martin, ran after Dillon was in custody.

Troopers looked for Douglas Martin, but was later spotted in the act of carjacking a woman along I-75 by a Sumter County sheriff's deputy. The deputy confronted Douglas, who started driving away with the woman's infant child still in the car and dragging the deputy behind. 

FHP said the deputy fired at Douglas Martin and hit him twice in the stomach. The deputy was not hurt. 

A pursuit of the car ensued on northbound I-75 into Marion County. Martin exited at State Route 200 and headed south into Citrus County. He lost control of the car, drove into a ditch, and hit an embankment at East Olive Lane.

Martin was taken into custody and taken to a hospital. The infant wasn't hurt and has been returned to its parents.