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2 Arrested After Owner Pursues Car Thieves

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By CHRIS ECHEGARAY

Published: October 10, 2007

Updated: 10/11/2007 12:34 pm

Video: Eagle 8 Reports From The Scene

GIBSONTON - Two men were arrested at U.S. 41 and Nundy Road after deputies used stop sticks to end a chase that started in Apollo Beach, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reported.

Michael Robert Wilson, 38, 12300 Phillips Lane, #17, and Alberto Loya, 26, of 9827 New York St., were charged in connection with the theft of a van and the chase that resulted in several crashes.

A Brandon man called 911 just before 4 p.m. reporting that he was following but had had just lost sight of two men who had stolen his 2000 Chrysler van Tuesday, deputies reported.

Alerts were placed, and a deputy spotted the stolen vehicle in the area of U.S. 41 and Shellpoint Road.

Deputies began following it. They used stop sticks near the intersection of Big Bend Road and U.S. 41. The van ran over the stop sticks and slowed down but continued north on U.S. 41.

A second deputy deployed stop sticks, deflating three of the tires. The van continued riding on the rims.

While attempting to elude deputies, the van traveling northbound on U.S. 41 hit a Dodge Neon, which was also traveling northbound.

The driver of the Neon attempted to move over when the van struck the rear of the Neon, pushing it into a grassy median. Neon driver William Frair, 51, of Gibsonton, wasn't injured, but his car had $3,000 damage.

A second crash occurred when a 2004 Ford veered to avoid the Neon and struck the left side of a 2007 Ford. No one was injured in that crash, but the vehicles had $15,000 damage combined.

Wilson, who was driving the stolen van, tried to drive through a Joy Food Store parking lot but couldn't turn because of the missing tires, officials said. He struck a 2003 Chevrolet pickup driven by William Messamore, 32, of Gibsonton. No one was injured, but the pickup suffered $8,000 damage.

Wilson was charged with leaving the scene of a crash, two counts of reckless driving, armed burglary of conveyance, grand theft auto, grand theft, no valid driver's license, and aggravated fleeing and eluding.

He is being held without bail at Orient Road Jail.

Loya, a passenger, was charged with trespass motor vehicle and outstanding warrant for failure to pay child support. He is being held on $1,500 bail at Orient Road Jail.

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