Robbery, burglary suspects rammed cars as police chased them into downtown Bradenton
Suspects in a burglary and an armed robbery led police on a chase into downtown Bradenton on Tuesday morning, ramming other cars and driving through red lights. They caused several crashes, including hitting at least three police cruisers, before ultimately being arrested, police said.
At about 6:45 a.m., Bradenton police received reports of a burglary and a subsequent armed robbery in the 300 block of Seventh Street East, according to Bradenton Assistant Chief of Police Josh Cramer. The victim of the armed robbery was able to give police a description of the suspects who robbed him and the pickup truck they were traveling in.
“The victim was an innocent bystander and became their first victim,” Cramer said. “The victim was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Bradenton police officers put a BOLO, or “be on the lookout,” alert with the description of the pickup truck and four suspects.
About three hours later, police officers spotted the truck heading south on Eighth Avenue West in Palmetto towards the Green Bridge, according to Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler.
“They attempted to stop the vehicle but the suspects fled into downtown Bradenton,” Tyler said.
But when the suspects got to the intersection of Manatee Avenue and Ninth Street West, the light was red. With Palmetto police officers in pursuit, the driver rammed through other vehicles to get through the intersection.
When the driver got to the intersection of Sixth Avenue West and Ninth Street West, the traffic light was red. The driver drove through the light and was t-boned by another vehicle. The impact of the crash sent the pickup spinning out of control, clipping two Bradenton police cars that had joined the pursuit.
One of the Bradenton police cars was thrown off the road by the impact and nearly crashed into the corner of the building of a law office.
The suspect’s pickup truck came to rest nearby, facing north, and the driver took off again, driving right at another police officer’s vehicle, according to Cramer. The truck became disabled and the driver took off running, but was caught and arrested within moments by police.
The remaining three suspects stayed in the truck and were arrested. Police have not yet identified the four suspects.
Video provided to the Bradenton Herald by a local law office staffer showed police swarming the pickup truck with their guns drawn after it became disabled.
At least one Palmetto police cruiser and three Bradenton police cruisers were damaged during the chase.
“We don’t know of any major injuries as of now,” Cramer said. “One officer was transported to the hospital and is being treated.”
Traffic throughout downtown Bradenton was snarled as police investigated what happened, especially at the intersection of Sixth Avenue West and Ninth Street West, which had been completely shut down.
This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 11:02 AM.