Courtesy: Manatee County Sheriff’s Office
PARRISH, Fla. – Deputies arrested two teenagers Wednesday night after a wild sequence involving a stolen car and a desperate attempt to swim across the Manatee River to escape law enforcement.
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River getaway gone wrong
What we know:
A white Toyota Camry, reported stolen by the Largo Police Department, was spotted by Manatee County sheriff’s deputies in the 8300 block of U.S. Highway 301 North at a Sonic Drive-In. When deputies tried to pull it over, they said the driver hopped a concrete median into a nearby neighborhood. Law enforcement said they did not pursue the vehicle, which was later found abandoned on 80th Avenue East.
Deputies flooded the area with a K-9 unit and a helicopter, tracking the suspects as they ran toward the Manatee River and jumped in. When one teenager began to struggle, deputies launched a small boat to rescue them, while a crew from the North River Fire District arrived with a second boat to pull the other suspect from the water, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. During detective interviews, one teen reportedly confessed to stealing the car in Largo and breaking into multiple other vehicles in the area. Both teens face charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing to elude, trespassing in a conveyance and resisting an officer without violence.
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Stolen vehicle aftermath
What’s next:
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office noted that additional charges are expected to be filed by the Largo Police Department as the investigation continues.
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