The Florida Highway Patrol has released video showing a man stealing a police cruiser and leading officers on a 149-mph chase after a four-day spree of theft and violence.
On May 2, an FHP trooper spotted Shane Michael Boisseaux Jensen, 22, of Largo, Florida on the northbound side of the Florida Turnpike in Okeechobee County. Jensen appeared to be “medically distressed” and “was incoherent when the trooper began talking with him,” FHP said at the time, according to the Miami Herald.
Video shows Jensen grab the opportunity to jump into the 2013 Dodge Charger patrol car and speed down the highway. What ensued was a frantic chase over more than 11 miles of road, where Jensen at one point reached a top speed of 149 mph before he crashed the car and ran off into the woods.
Video footage provided by the Florida Highway Patrol shows the dramatic chase.
On Monday, April 29, Jensen was fired from his job as an on-call lifeguard at the Long Center in the city of Clearwater, Florida, after he shattered the windows of his supervisor’s car.
Clearwater police arrested him later that day and charged him with felony criminal mischief, resisting arrest with violence, use of violence against a police officer, and possession of marijuana. He was incarcerated at the Pinellas County jail. He was released on $12,150 bail the next day.
On May 1, at about 11 a.m, Jensen stole a hammer at a Home Depot store in Clearwater and went to the contractor-loading zone, threatening two men in an attempt to carjack their truck.
However, he didn’t succeed, so he stole a 2007 Dodge Ram 3500 mega cab truck after frightening away the 17-year-old passenger. He then drove east into Tampa.
At about 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, Jensen was spotted walking along the Florida Turnpike in Okeechobee County by the state trooper.
Since Jensen appeared to be in distress, the trooper called for medical help. The trooper then decided to fetch Jensen some water and walked up to a road ranger who had also stopped.
All of a sudden, however, Jensen got up and hijacked the police cruiser and drove north into Osceola County, where he was stopped by traffic.
The dashcam footage shows three law enforcement officers approaching the vehicle with their guns drawn. One officer tries to open the car door, but Jensen hits the gas and escapes on the shoulder of the road. He then crosses the median and heads in the opposite direction on the southbound lanes.
Police then scattered spiked tire deflation devices onto the turnpike lanes near Yeehaw Junction. Jensen dodged the devices, by driving on the grass shoulder, but came to a halt against the guardrail. He exited the vehicle and ran off into the woods, where he was later caught.
He faces 20 felony counts for grand theft, along with charges of high-speed driving, aggravated battery on a police officer, and reckless driving. Four of these counts were added after his arrest when he attempted to steal an officer’s firearm at the infirmary and for attacking officers at the jail.
“This is just an example of mental illness of which it’s not been completely diagnosed,” said Jensen’s uncle, Michael Martinez, according to ABC Action News. “It’s a shame this had to occur. We are devastated. We have nothing but empathy for the victims. This is one episode that continued for four days. Prior to this, he was a poster child for the City of Clearwater. This could happen to any family with children. He comes from a very loving family. He’s not the monster they are portraying.”
Troopers found the stolen Dodge Ram truck on the Florida Turnpike near Vero on Friday morning.
