Carjacking, Kidnapping, Chase, Crash Lead To Arrest Of Riverview Man

NEW TAMPA, FL — A 33-year-old Riverview man has been arrested following a carjacking, kidnapping, chase from New Tampa to Alachua County, ending with him crashing into several law enforcement vehicles Tuesday.

According to Tampa police, at 4:05 a.m., a woman was confronted by an armed man while getting into her car in the 1600 block of Enclave Village Drive in New Tampa to head to work. The man then stole her black Nissan Maxima.

Minutes later, officers responded to another call in the area. The victim said a man he knows, Brandon J. Baker, forced his way into the man's home in the 6200 block of Ashbury Palms Drive, and ordered the man to get into the stolen Maxima. The man was able to escape unharmed and the Baker fled the scene before police arrived, according to the report.

The Maxima was found abandoned at Tampa Palms Boulevard and Compton Drive.

About an hour later, police were notified that an Isuzu box truck had been stolen in the 18000 block of Highwoods Preserve Parkway.

The victim told police that he was in the back of the truck. When he got out, he saw a man in the driver's seat who drove away in the truck. The truck was equipped with a GPS and police were able to track it to Alachua County where the Florida Highway Patrol attempted to pull it over but the driver refused to stop and began driving north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75, according to the police report.

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office tried to pull the truck over several times with no success as well. Finally, the truck struck several patrol cars, injuring two Alachua sheriff's deputies. Baker then fled on foot and was quickly taken into custody by troopers and Alachua sheriff's deputies, said the police report.

Baker is currently in the Alachua County Jail charged with armed carjacking, burglary with battery, kidnapping and grand theft auto in connection to the New Tampa crimes.