Tampa woman accused of hitting patrol car during stolen vehicle pursuit: HCSO

UNIVERSITY, Fla. - A Tampa woman was arrested after Hillsborough County deputies say she fled from law enforcement in a stolen vehicle, nearly hit a deputy and rammed into a patrol car during a pursuit.

Hillsborough stolen car pursuit arrest

The backstory:

Jessica Johnson, 37, was taken into custody Tuesday morning after deputies used a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

At around 8:40 a.m. Tuesday, deputies were alerted to a vehicle reported stolen by the Tampa Police Department. The vehicle was traveling north on North 15th Street from East 122nd Avenue in the University area, according to HCSO.

Deputies located the vehicle parked at a business complex at 1509 E. Fletcher Ave. They activated their emergency lights and tried to box in the vehicle to take the driver into custody, HCSO said.

Deputies said Johnson refused commands to stop and pulled away in her vehicle. During the attempt to escape, she nearly hit one of the responding deputies and rammed the side of a patrol vehicle, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies followed the vehicle and performed a PIT maneuver near North 37th Street and Cambridge Woods Drive, HCSO said.

Johnson was removed from the vehicle and taken into custody, HCSO said.

Stolen car felony charges

What's next:

Johnson faces the following charges:

• Two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon
• Aggravated fleeing to elude
• Resisting an officer with violence
• Grand theft of a motor vehicle
• Criminal mischief involving $1,000 or more in damage
• Reckless driving involving property damage or personal injury
• Driving with a canceled, suspended or revoked license
• Leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage
• Violation of probation in a felony battery case

The Source: The information in this story was provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.