Troopers say a 32-year-old St. Petersburg man turned the Howard Frankland Bridge into his personal racetrack early Saturday, hitting 101 mph southbound before a high-speed chase spilled into city streets and ended with a patrol car slamming into his SUV.
The pursuit came to a halt near 55th Avenue North and 16th Street North in St. Petersburg, where a Florida Highway Patrol trooper struck the suspect’s vehicle to force it to stop. The driver was taken into custody at the scene and booked into the Pinellas County Jail.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, as reported by FOX 13 Tampa Bay, troopers identified the driver as 32-year-old Deandre Bradford of St. Petersburg. FHP says Bradford accelerated past 100 mph in a 65-mph zone after a trooper tried to pull him over on the bridge.
Investigators say they later found a white Styrofoam cup half-filled with alcohol in the SUV’s center console. According to FHP, Bradford provided two breath samples that registered 0.099 and 0.094. He now faces fleeing-and-eluding, DUI and dangerous excessive speeding charges, and the agency says it is seeking $420 in investigative costs.
What the super speeder law means
Florida’s “super speeder”` statute makes it a crime to drive 50 mph over the posted limit or to hit 100 mph in a dangerous manner. Violations can bring fines, possible jail time and a mandatory court appearance. The law is codified at Fla. Stat. §316.1922, which also outlines stiffer penalties for repeat offenders.
Bridge safety and local enforcement
The Howard Frankland Bridge has already been on law enforcement’s radar. The posted speed limit on parts of the span was lowered to 55 mph last December, and officials said they would step up enforcement along the corridor, according to Bay News 9. Troopers have repeatedly singled out Tampa Bay bridges and nearby stretches of interstate as priorities since the super speeder law took effect.
What’s next for the case
Bradford remains in the Pinellas County Jail with no bond, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay. State prosecutors will decide on any formal criminal filings tied to the dangerous excessive speeding and DUI allegations.
FHP also notes that Bradford was already out on bond and wearing a monitor at the time of the stop. His arraignment and future court dates will be set through the Pinellas County criminal court process.
