A Florida woman who is an 11-time convicted felon fled a traffic stop Wednesday with a deputy partially inside the vehicle and crashed into a school bus carrying 41 children, police said. Officers said they discovered a pipe bomb, shotgun shells, counterfeit money, drugs, and credit cards belonging to other people in the vehicle the suspect was driving.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver Kia Forte around 4:36 p.m.
‘Thanks to the quick actions of our deputies, a dangerous career criminal who was driving around with a pipe bomb in her car is now off our streets.’
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office released police bodycam footage that shows a deputy informing the driver that she was pulled over because both brake lights on her car were out.
The driver, 54-year-old Tonnetta Evans, handed over an alleged driver’s license and identified her name as “Kirsten,” according to the police bodycam video.
Police said officers developed probable cause during the stop to search the vehicle.
Evans was “uncooperative” during the search and refused to exit the vehicle, police stated.
The statement said that while a deputy was partially inside the suspect’s vehicle, the suspect tried driving away from the scene.
“Immediately after fleeing, and before a pursuit could be initiated based on the aggravated battery, Evans struck a school bus carrying 41 Pierce Middle School students, the bus driver, and a bus aide,” the police statement read.
The bus sustained minor damage, and no students were injured in the collision, according to police. The students were transferred to another bus and taken home.
Police said Evans was apprehended and arrested shortly after the collision.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the following items were recovered during a search of the car Evans was driving:
- Pipe bomb/explosive device
- Brass knuckles and a TASER
- Bandolier of shotgun shells
- Three identification cards belonging to other individuals
- Four credit cards belonging to other individuals
- Counterfeit $100 bills totaling $1,100
- Silver half-dollars and coins
- Methamphetamine, marijuana, and multiple prescription pills
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Image source: Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office
Evans was arrested and hit with more than a dozen charges, including:
- Aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon
- Armed possession of methamphetamine
- Aggravated fleeing to elude
- Battery on a law enforcement officer
- Felon in possession of ammunition
- Felon in possession of an electric weapon or device
- False name to a law enforcement officer
- Possession of cannabis less than 20 grams
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (3 counts)
- Unlawful possession of the personal identification of another (5 or more)
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Attaching a tag not assigned
- Leaving the scene of a crash involving a school bus (hit and run)
Evans has criminal records in two other states, police stated.
The statement added that Evans also was arrested on a Kentucky failure to appear warrant for possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and theft of identity of another without consent.
Police noted that Evans is a nine-time convicted felon in Indiana, a two-time convicted felon in Kentucky, and a three-time Indiana State Prison releasee.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stated that Evans’ criminal record in Kentucky and Indiana includes charges of escape, burglary, burglary of a vehicle, theft of identity of another without consent, and possession of narcotics.
During the investigation, deputies discovered that the vehicle Evans was driving was reported stolen out of Kentucky in 2022.
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Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said of Evans, “This suspect showed a complete disregard for the safety of our deputy, other motorists, and the children of our community, and we are extremely fortunate that no one was seriously hurt.”
Chronister continued, “Thanks to the quick actions of our deputies, a dangerous career criminal who was driving around with a pipe bomb in her car is now off our streets.”
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office records show Evans, of Dover, Florida, was being held without bond at Falkenburg Road Jail.
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