Sarasota felon arrested after causing head-on collision on Interstate 75, deputies say

A convicted felon was arrested on nine charges Tuesday after she fled from Sarasota deputies and caused a head-on collision on the interstate.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies first initiated a traffic stop on Jacqueline Burge, 54, who was driving without a license, around 11 a.m.

But when they activated their emergency lights, she took off in the 2100 block of Edmondson Road in Nokomis, driving through a residential yard and eventually striking a deputy’s vehicle.

Burge then continued to head northbound on multiple roads traveling at speeds over 70 mph, deputies reported.

During the pursuit, she merged onto southbound Interstate 75 and lost control of her vehicle several times before crashing into another deputy’s vehicle. She then started fleeing northbound in the southbound lanes.

Burge eventually caused a head-on collision with another vehicle. She then got out of the car and ran away on foot.

Moments later, deputies took her into custody.

The other driver was not injured in the crash, deputies reported.

During a search of her vehicle, detectives found methamphetamine, prescription pills, narcotic equipment and several miscellaneous ID cards.

Burge now faces two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, resisting an officer, possession of narcotic equipment, and driving with a suspended license.

Burge is a convicted felon who spent time in prison on charges from both Sarasota and Manatee counties, deputies said. She has more than a dozen prior arrests in Sarasota County for crimes including grand theft, burglary, sale of synthetic narcotics, prostitution and drug possession.

This story was originally published July 18, 2018 at 3:17 PM.