SILVER SPRINGS, Fla. – A woman Marion County deputies said stole a cruiser and two others are dead after a miles-long police pursuit ended in a crash.
The situation began Thursday afternoon when the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to Forest Plaza on East Highway 40 in Silver Springs to respond to a reported attempted car theft.
Deputies said around 2 p.m., 34-year-old Kendra Boone tried to steal an elderly woman’s car keys but was unsuccessful, so she tried to find another way to take the car.
Deputy Witte arrived at the incident and told Boone to go to the rear of his patrol vehicle. According to MCSO, when the deputy exited the vehicle, then Boone jumped in the passenger side and climbed into the driver’s seat and sped off.
Witte’s bodycam footage captured the moment:
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Deputy Barnes pulled up to the scene just before Boone took off in the patrol car, so he immediately pursued Boone.
She led the deputy on a miles-long chase on East Highway 40 until deputies said she made a U-turn near the weigh station just west of Highway 19.
Additional deputies joined the effort to catch Boone. Deputies planned to use stop sticks to end the chase but before Boone could make it to the area where the stop sticks were placed, she made another U-turn and sped east on Highway 40, hitting over 100 mph in the patrol vehicle while driving erratically.
The sheriff’s office said during the pursuit, Boone drove on the highway’s right shoulder to attempt to pass a semitruck. When she returned to the highway, she lost control, entered into the oncoming lane of traffic and smashed into a black pickup truck with three passengers.
Boone and two others died at the scene. The third passenger was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.