Thursday, March 18, 2010

Stranger Than Fiction Part 3: Police Capture Man Dressed As Woman After Wild Chase


This guy has pizzazz...

From the St. Pete Times/Tampabay.com

By Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Thursday, March 18, 2010

TAMPA — Jermonte Jerome Thornton had been out of prison only nine months after serving more than a year for a cocaine conviction.

When Tampa police moved in Wednesday afternoon to arrest him on a warrant that could return him to prison, Thornton fought back, officers said.

Police said Thornton led officers on a dramatic two-hour chase in which he rammed three police vehicles, nearly knocked down a tree, was shot by police, invaded a woman's apartment, donned her clothes and wig to disguise himself, then vaulted off a second-floor balcony.

Police sicced a dog on Thornton, 27, and finally arrested him.

The chain of events began about 2 p.m. when police surrounded Thornton's car at a Sulphur Springs address. He rammed three vehicles, then a tree, almost knocking it over and putting officers in danger of getting run over, police said.

Cpl. Bryon Hoskins and Officer Tim Bergman shot into Thornton's car, hitting him once. But Thornton rammed his way out of the blockade, police said.

Officers pursued Thornton to Scruggs Manor Apartments at 11201 N 22nd St., where he ditched the car, they said.

Then he ran into the nearby Lenox Place Apartments, trailing blood the whole way.

"He lost a considerable amount of blood in his car," police Chief Jane Castor said.

Police say he knocked on unit B207 and said: "It's me." Thinking it was her boyfriend, Tydarreia Watkins, 20, opened the door. Thornton, who police said does not known Watkins, forced her back into the apartment.

Following the blood trail, police narrowed Thornton's location to four possible apartments. When officers burst in the fourth door, a blur of pink went airborne over the balcony, Castor said.

It was Thornton, police said, wearing a pink dress, pink shoes and a woman's wig belonging to Watkins.

Thornton bolted north across the parking lot, which was teeming with officers. He scaled a fence and dashed across railroad tracks toward a wooded area, where he was caught by a police dog and officers.

Thornton was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, home invasion robbery and false imprisonment. Police had been looking for him because he was wanted on charges of armed burglary, battery and aggravated assault. Police say they found a gun in his car, so more charges may be forthcoming.

10 comments:

  1. What a guy. :-) You've certainly got to be f****d in the head to be a criminal, but hats off to him for what he tried to do to get away from the cops.

    Do all women in Tampa have wigs lying around the house?

    Good to see you're still with us, David.

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  2. Man, I'm still rollin'. Looks like you've been balls deep with some really good stories. I think it's time to step out a bit, with a few shorts.

    You mean you don't have a wig? Square.

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  3. Meaning I need to step out with a few shorts...this is what happens when I get into the Cream Stouts...

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  4. By shorts...you mean midgets? I have a real fear of midgets. And if they are from your area, then they probably wear wigs. And if you involve Cream Stouts...hell breaks loose!

    "Get me out of this nightmare!"

    What's a Cream Stout???

    Good to see you're still bashing it out mate,

    David.

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  5. Cream Stout=Beer. I can't remember the name off-hand but it was goooood.

    Midget messes with me and I'm takin' him downtown!

    Take care, man.

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  6. You too mate. It will be good to read a few short stories from you (and a break from the novel may be a good idea to let you re-fuel and then get stuck into it again?)

    Let me know if there's anything I can do.

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  7. I love a good dumb criminal story.

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  8. Thanks for stopping by, Travis.

    As for dumb criminals, we seem to have more than a few of those down here in Florida. But as they say, it takes all kinds to make the world go 'round.

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  9. Mike... thanks for stopping by my blog....I appreciate it very much

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