Florida Police Chase with Suspect Tasered

[Nole795]

High-Speed Chase Ends With Suspect Being Hit By Taser

POSTED: 3:47 pm EDT May 8, 2008
UPDATED: 6:14 pm EDT May 8, 2008

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A pair of auto theft suspects known to Orange County deputies as "Bonnie and Clyde" led deputies on a chase through Orange and Seminole counties Thursday afternoon. The pursuit ended after almost an hour-and-a-half when the suspects, 29-year-old Andrew Gaskell and 28-year-old Erika Hein, bailed out of the vehicle and one was hit by a deputy who fired his Taser.

The ordeal began about 2:15pm on State Road 408 in Orange County. Deputies in Orange County's auto trap unit spotted a stolen car that had been taken from an AutoMax lot.

Manager Reagan Andre said Gaskell had offered her $10,000 for the car when he and Hein jumped in and drove off.

"I was thinking, 'Crap. He's still in the car," said Andre.

Gaskell, driving the small Mazda, drove into Seminole County and ended up on I-4 in the Lake Mary area. The chase then wound down I-4 into downtown Orlando where the Mazda ended up back on SR 408.

The car exited at the Goldenrod exit and drove for several minutes before it appeared to run out of gas near Sun Vista Way (see map). The male driver and a female passenger jumped out and began to flee.

Deputies in unmarked SUVs quickly pulled and up and chased the pair on foot. Gaskell was hit with a Taser and slammed to the ground where he was quickly surrounded and placed in handcuffs. While being taken into the Orange County jail, he said he had made a mistake and his wife had urged him to stop during the chase.

"Stupid," said Gaskell. "Erika didn't do nothing. She kept telling me to pull over. That's my wife. I love you, Erika."

At some point after jumping out of the car, deputies say Hein tried to cut her wrists with a razor. Deputies kicked it away. She was taken to Florida East Hospital. There was no immediate word on her condition.

Deputies who went through the car found drug needles. They say the seatbelts had been cut as if to use as tourniquets for drug use.

Deputies say the pair is suspected of committing several crimes in the west Orange County area, including as many as 16 vehicle thefts, burglaries and shoplifting. They had been dubbed "Bonnie and Clyde."

Records show Hein lives in Altamonte Springs and has a criminal record dating back to the year 2000. It includes burglary, fraud and retail theft. Gaskell was wanted on a grand theft warrant.

http://www.wftv.com/news/16203316/detail.html

Link to Video
http://www.wftv.com/video/16203747/index.html

[Chevymouse277]

OMG I kept expecting a stinking unmarked Corvette to show up! There was soo many unmarked cars of different types!!!