BRANDON, FL — A St. Petersburg man faces multiple charges after stealing a Jeep, leading law enforcement on a chase through Hillsborough County, and hitting a trooper with the vehicle on Friday night, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
When the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit tracked the stolen Jeep to a strawberry field on Blankenship Road in Dover, state troopers responded to the area around 11 p.m., FHP said.
The driver, Shawn Craeger, 51, resisted when a trooper opened his door and tried to pull him from the Jeep, Fox 13 said. The trooper Tasered Craeger, but it only partially connected.
He drove away from the field, knocking the trooper to the ground with the Jeep, according to a criminal report affidavit.
Craeger intentionally drove through at least one fence while fleeing the scene, FHP said.
The HCSO Aviation Unit followed the Jeep, providing updates to troopers on the ground so that they could intercept Craeger on Northwood Park Street, south of Durant Road, in Brandon.
He then fled west on Durant Road while being chased by troopers.
Craeger overshot the right curve on Durant Road approaching Lumsden Road East and ran over the median, FHP said. He got stuck when he tried to cross the median again.
A trooper positioned his patrol vehicle to block the Jeep from moving forward until two additional troopers got to the scene.
Craeger was arrested and charged with fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, driving under the influence, grand theft motor vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, fleeing to elude highspeed, criminal mischief $1,000 or more, trespass on posted commercial agricultural property, resisting officer with violence, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, refusal to submit to testing, and driving with a license canceled, suspended, or revoked, Hillsborough County jail records show.
He had a Missouri driver’s license at the time of his arrest, the affidavit said.
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