Troopers Prevent Man From Driving Away At Memorial Boulevard Following Pursuit On I-4

POLK COUNTY, FL — A 28-year-old Seffner man faces aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer charge after Florida Highway Troopers accused him of driving a stolen car and taking them on a high-speed chase along Interstate-4 Thursday morning.

Authorities flashed their lights behind a stolen 2010 blue Hyundai Accent driven by Raul Mata on I-4 eastbound near U.S. Highway 27 at 9:59 a.m., a news release said. Mata is accused of speeding away from troopers. He continued to Champions Gate Boulevard and then went onto I-4 westbound.

Deputies tried to stop him with a rolling roadblock but were unsuccesful because Mata allegedly tried to ram the patrol cars. The pursuit continued. Mata crashed into a vehicle shortly after he took the State Road 32 exit at Memorial Boulevard. He continued to drive away from police on Memorial Boulevard westbound where officers performed a PIT maneuver, and were able to stop him near Marion Avenue.

Mata faces the follosing charges, according to Florida Highway Patrol

• Aggravated fleeing and eluding
• Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer
• Leaving the scene of a crash with property damage
• Grand theft of a motor vehicle
• Reckless driving
• Driving without a license