Pinellas Park Police Department
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Police Pursuit of Aggravated Assault Suspect
At approximately 11:00 AM, Pinellas Park officers were conducting a traffic safety operation in the area of 62 Avenue North and 55th Street, as part of the click it or ticket seat belt law enforcement campaign. Officers were using a Laser to identify speeders, and those cars that were identified as speeding would be stopped by officers down the road at a marked check point.
A white Dodge Magnum was identified as a speeder, but the car failed to slow down for the check point and when officers flagged the car down to stop. A chase car was sent after the Dodge Magnum to initiate a traffic stop. When the police car was behind the suspect near 54th Avenue and 58th street, the suspect slowed his vehicle and pointed a handgun out the driver's window back at the officer, but did not fire. The suspect then accelerated and fled south on I-275.
Officers gave chase of this suspect for aggravated assault of a police officer. The suspect fled south on I-275 and near the 5 Ave South exit Officer Bingnear saw the suspect toss articles out the window which may have included the handgun. The suspect stopped his car near 1411 James Avenue South and fled on foot carrying a duffel bag. Officer Bingnear chased a short distance on foot before losing sight of the suspect, but did recover the duffel bag that was being carried by the suspect. Inside the duffel bag were 5 small bags of marijuana, packaged to be re-sold. The Dodge Magnum that was abandoned is a rental car from Clearwater and has since been reported stolen.
St. Petersburg Police and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office provided assistance in this investigation. At this time the suspect has not been located or identified and the firearm that was used has not been recovered.
Captain S. A. Forseth
Pinellas Park Police
727-541-0792
