Man leads police on high-speed chase around Tampa Bay, across Skyway Bridge
August 28, 2021 - A man led police on a high-speed pursuit around the entirety of Tampa Bay on Friday. According to police, the chase originated from a stolen vehicle call. The suspect fled in a white utility van with a ladder on the roof, careening through traffic in Hillsborough County. He continued south until reaching Manatee County, where he then got onto the Skyway Bridge. Video of the chase showed police vehicles trailing far behind the white van on the expansive bridge as police and news helicopters followed overhead. The suspect drove through St. Petersburg, crossed the Howard Frankland Bridge, and began to head north on the Veterans Expressway before officers were able to take him into custody on a grassy shoulder without further incident. The suspect was shirtless and without shoes as when taken into custody, and further information is pending.