A dramatic high-speed chase unfolded across Southwest Florida Thursday morning, ending in a crash near an elementary school in Punta Gorda.
The chase began early Thursday when Cape Coral police attempted to pull over Janina Coleman, who had an active arrest warrant for failing to appear in Lee County court on drug trafficking charges. Instead of stopping, police said Coleman sped off and they lost sight of her, shortly after, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers spotted her vehicle parked outside a Wendy’s on Knights Road in Punta Gorda.
Upon seeing the officers, Coleman took off once again, this time leading them on a dangerous pursuit along Interstate 75 North. Troopers said Coleman was weaving in and out of traffic at speeds over 105 miles per hour and even driving on the shoulder.
The chase continued for over five miles. Troopers said Coleman took the Harborview Road exit, and they were able to stop the car using a PIT maneuver, which caused Coleman’s car to roll over just outside Deep Creek Elementary School, where children were present at the time.
Once the car came to a halt, troopers worked quickly to arrest Coleman. A trooper said he had to break the sunroof to remove Coleman from the vehicle. As she resisted, the trooper cut his arm and hand on the broken glass.
Troopers said the car Coleman was driving wasn’t even hers. She was booked into the Charlotte County Jail, where she was denied bond. This decision came after it was revealed that Coleman also had a warrant out for her arrest in Lee County.
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