Two teens arrested after I-275 hit-and-run spree in stolen vehicle out of Pasco County
Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol
TAMPA, Fla. - A wild series of hit-and-run crashes across Interstate 275 ended with two teenagers in custody after being accused of stealing a vehicle and fleeing on foot Wednesday morning, according to police.
The Tampa Police Department stated they were conducting traffic enforcement on I-275 southbound near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard when a white Kia Soul slammed into stopped traffic and sped away.
According to law enforcement, an officer initiated a traffic stop and spotted two teens inside the car before they fled, later identified to be 16 and 17 years old.
Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol
Tampa freeway crashes
What we know:
The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver triggered four separate hit-and-run crashes along Interstate 275, stretching from Armenia Avenue to mile marker 55 near Lutz.
According to the FHP, the vehicle became disabled from multiple crashes, causing the suspects to get out of the car and flee.
Tampa police officers and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office set up a search perimeter and tracked down both teens. FHP confirmed the Kia Soul had been stolen out of Pasco County earlier Wednesday, noting its ignition had been punched out. Reports state both teens face multiple charges.
Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.