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Woman hits school bus while fleeing deputies
A woman, who deputies say had meth, brass knuckles and a pipe bomb in her car, struck a school bus full of kids while fleeing from Hillsborough deputies.
TAMPA, Fla. - A 54-year-old 11-time convicted felon was arrested Wednesday after dragging a deputy during a traffic stop and crashing into a school bus carrying 41 students, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Hillsborough traffic stop escape
What we know:
Deputies stopped Tonnetta Evans, 54, in a silver Kia Forte at 4:36 p.m. Wednesday on Hillsborough Avenue West, just west of Dale Mabry Highway North. When deputies tried to remove Evans after developing probable cause to search the car, she put the vehicle in drive and sped away eastbound with a deputy partially inside, officials said.
Evans immediately struck a school bus carrying 41 Pierce Middle School students, a bus driver and a bus aide before a pursuit could begin, according to investigators. The collision caused minor damage, and no students were injured before being transferred to another bus to go home.
Pipe bomb discovered
What we don't know:
Deputies captured Evans at the Howard Avenue and Armenia Avenue ramp to southbound Interstate 275. Authorities have not said why Evans had a pipe bomb, brass knuckles, a TASER, a bandolier of shotgun shells, prescription pills, marijuana and methamphetamine inside her car.
Deputies said they found meth, brass knuckles, five stolen credit and identification cards, $1,100 in counterfeit $1,000 bills and silver coins in the car. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators also found five stolen credit and identification cards, $1,100 in counterfeit $1,000 bills and silver coins in the car, which was reported stolen out of Kentucky in 2022, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies said Evans had a pipe bomb in her car. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Criminal history revealed
The backstory:
Evans is an 11-time convicted felon, having served three prison terms in Indiana with nine felony convictions there and two in Kentucky. Her past convictions include escape, burglary, vehicle burglary, identity theft and narcotics possession, officials said.
She was also arrested on a Kentucky failure to appear warrant for methamphetamine possession and identity theft.
Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
Evans now faces multiple local charges, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, armed possession of methamphetamine and hit-and-run involving a school bus.
Sheriff praises deputies
What they're saying:
"This suspect showed a complete disregard for the safety of our deputy, other motorists and the children of our community, and we are extremely fortunate that no one was seriously hurt," Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
"Thanks to the quick actions of our deputies, a dangerous career criminal who was driving around with a pipe bomb in her car is now off our streets," Chronister added.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, which provided details in an official press release, as well as statements from Sheriff Chad Chronister.