Wanted man jumps in pickup, throws cash at passengers to shut them up, Florida cops say
.jpg "During a search of the crashed BMW, more than $10,000 in cash was found on the floorboard, Florida troopers say.")
A confounding scene unfolded at a Florida gas station when three people in a pickup truck saw a stranger hop in and start throwing cash at them, investigators said.
The man’s intent was to buy their silence, as he tried to elude state troopers, the Florida Highway Patrol said in an April 1 news release.
It did not work.
“As the troopers began to search ... they were approached by a witness who told them that an unknown subject was inside his pickup truck, where his two young cousins were sitting,” the highway patrol said.
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“The suspect ... entered the occupied pickup, and began to throw money at the occupants, telling them not to say anything.”
Troopers investigated and found a 24-year-old Cape Coral man who is accused of crashing a BMW at the gas station during a high-speed pursuit.
It happened Sunday, March 31, at a 7-Eleven in Fort Myers, about a 125-mile drive south from Tampa.
“The vehicle, a black BMW X6 with California plates, is known to law enforcement in the area for reckless driving and fleeing to elude officers or troopers when they attempt to pull it over,” the Florida Highway Patrol reported.
“A pursuit was initiated; however, the initial trooper had lost sight of the suspect. Minutes later, another trooper observed the BMW strike another vehicle and continue to flee while losing a tire. The BMW finally pulled into a (7-Eleven), where it struck a white Ford F250.”
The driver climbed out of the BMW, then “forced his way into the occupied pickup truck without consent from the owner,” officials said.
investigators did not report the passengers of the pickup suffered injuries during the encounter.
“During the inventory of the BMW, a large amount of cash, totaling over $10,000, was found on the floorboard,” officials said.
“Additionally, a large white garbage bag full of marijuana weighing over 4 pounds, a clear vacuum-sealed bag of 100 Oxycodone pills, and a Glock firearm (were found).”
The suspect was evaluated at a hospital, then arrested and charged with:
- Flee/elude police (aggravated fleeing with injury or damage)
- Flee/elude police (flee elude high speed or disregard for persons or property)
- Possession of weapon or ammo by convicted felon
- Three counts of hit and run-leave the scene of a crash Involving damage to property
- Three counts of moving traffic violation-reckless driving/damage person or property
- Burglary occupied conveyance unarmed
- Three counts of resist officer-obstruct without violence
- Moving traffic violation-driving while license suspended, revoked, canceled or disqualified causing serious bodily Injury or while fleeing or eluding
- Two counts of obstructing justice-tampering with or harassing a witness/withholding testimony or information from official investigation
- Trafficking drugs-4 grams or less, controlled substance
- Marijuana possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver
Out-of-county warrant from Miami-Dade County
This story was originally published April 1, 2024 at 10:54 AM with the headline "Wanted man jumps in pickup, throws cash at passengers to shut them up, Florida cops say."