Teen Rams Car Into 2 Clearwater Police Cruisers: Police

CLEARWATER, FL - A 17-year-old rammed a car into two Clearwater police cruisers Friday morning after officers responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle at Court Street and Myrtle Avenue. The driver and three passengers, who ranged in age from 16 to 20 years old, face multiple charges. Marijuana, counterfeit money and multiple sets of keys were found inside the vehicle. The driver of the car is 17.

A caller had told police that the occupants of the vehicle were either passed out or asleep. The car was sitting in the southbound lanes of Myrtle Avenue about 5:37 a.m. when an officer pulled up behind it. The car did not move as the traffic light went through two light cycles; police said the driver and three passengers appeared to be incapacitated. The car then began to roll slowly into the intersection.

Officers positioned their cars in front of the vehicle to prevent it from rolling farther; the driver suddenly looked up and accelerated toward the cruisers, hitting both. The driver then fled and police pursued the vehicle. The officers were not injured.

The pursuit ended at 132nd Avenue and 119th Street. The officers used a maneuver to force the fleeing car to turn sideways, stopping it. The driver and three passnegers were taken to Morton Plant Hospital for precautionary reasons and were released into police custody.

Police said two of the occupants of the car have been charged: Marquese Bell, 20, of Largo, a passenger, was charged with providing a false name and felony possession of marijuana. He also had a warrant for violation of probation for burglary; Omar Lee Butler, 19, of Owensboro, Ky., formerly of Largo, another passenger, was charged with felony possession of marijuana and failure to appear on a resisting arrest charge.

The 17-year-old driver was charged with two counts of aggravated battery on law enforcement, aggravated fleeing and eluding and felony possession of marijuana. The other passenger in the car was a 16-year-old male. He was charged with felony possession of marijuana. He is also from Owensboro, Ky., and formerly of Largo. Further charges are possible as the investigation continues, police said.

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