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Driver Arrested After Messy Chase

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The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 18, 2009

TAMPA - A 27-year-old man is accused of leading deputies on a nine-minute chase through Carrollwood late Friday, crashing into three other vehicles along the way, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.

Charlie Ronald Smith Jr., of Tampa, was being treated at University Community Hospital on Saturday, records show. Deputies charged him with several felonies, including felony aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felony leaving the scene of a crash with injury and misdemeanor driving without a valid license. More charges are pending.

Upon completion of his treatment, he will be held at a county jail with bail set at $33,250, records show.

No one else was seriously hurt, deputies said.

The chase started about 11:43 p.m., when deputies responded to a report of a fight at 4343 Honey Vista Circle and saw a Mitsubishi speed away, nearly striking a patrol car, the sheriff's office said. The driver eluded them, first attempting to ram a patrol car and then crashing into two other motorists, the sheriff's office said.

The chase came to an end after about six miles when the Mitsubishi smashed into a Ford Focus.

A staff report

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