A driver led Florida Highway Patrol troopers on a 111 mph chase over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and into Manatee County on Tuesday before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot, according to the agency.
Troopers attempted to stop the vehicle on the southbound Sunshine Skyway Bridge, but the driver did not stop and continued south into the Palmetto area, FHP spokesperson Kenneth Watson said.
The vehicle exited at mile marker 19, where a trooper used a PIT maneuver to stop it. The driver then got out and ran away on foot, according to FHP.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search with its aviation unit and a K-9 team, FHP said.
FHP has not identified the driver and said the incident remains under investigation.
Further information was not immediately available Tuesday afternoon.
Bradenton Herald
Michael Moore Jr. is the public safety and justice reporter for the Bradenton Herald. He covers crime, courts and law enforcement. Michael grew up in Bradenton and graduated from University of South Florida St. Petersburg.