Stolen Car Chase Tops 100 mph

A predawn car chase led Manatee County deputies through two counties at speeds of about 100 mph after four men riding in a stolen car robbed a woman at gunpoint at an intersection, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's office. 

The four were arrested in Hillsborough County, after they crossed the county line and the Hillsborough Sher'ff's office joined in the pursuit.

The four men arrested were all from Tampa. They are:

• Demario Murray, 24
• De’Eric Moore, 17
• Antwon Moore, 22,
• Timothy Jefferson, 20 

The charges pending against them are: robbery with shots fired, fleeing and an attempt to elude arrest, grand theft auto, according to the Manatee County Sheriff' Office. 

The men, who were in a stolen car, had apparently been following the robbery victim from from the McDonalds at 5299 33^rd St East, according to Dave Bristow, spokesman with MSO.

When the woman was stopped at 51st Avenue East and  30^th Street East, two of the suspects ran up to her car. One of them came up to the driver pointing a gun at her. The two men demanded money and fired a shot in the air. After she gave the suspects cash, they got back in the car and sped off.

The victim, who was not injured, called 911 and reported the robbery.

A short time later deputies spotted the suspect vehicle near I-75 and State Road 70. That's where the chase began, as the suspects got onto the interstate and deputies followed the vehicle north on I-75 at speeds of about 100 mph.

The chase began at around 4:30 a.m. so the traffic was light and the weather was good, Bristow said.

The pursuit continued for several miles north on I-75. The suspects pulled off  the interstate at State Road 64 and then immediately got back on the interstate.

The pursuit continued north on I-75 into Hillsborough County where Hillsborough deputies joined the pursuit. The chase continued to Big Bend Road. HCSO put stop sticks near Big Bend. The suspects avoided the stop sticks and the chase continued.

The suspects raced west and HCSO deployed stop sticks again near US 41 and Riverview Road. At that point, two tires were now flat on the suspects' vehicle,  and they ultimately stopped at U.S. 41 and Riverview Rd. 

Manatee County deputies pinned the car with their vehicles, so that the suspects could not get out of the car and flee on foot, Bristow said.

All four suspects were taken into custody without incident at around 5 a.m.

The four suspects involved all had cash in their possession. The suspect vehicle is believed to be stolen out of Tampa, according to the sheriff's office. 

No weapons were recovered at the scene, but the vehicle has not been processed, Bristow said.