A late night Tesla blast across the Howard Frankland Bridge ended in bushes, a construction site and handcuffs, according to state troopers, after they say a 26-year-old driver hit roughly 106 mph in the express lanes, tossed a bag of marijuana out the window and tried to outrun everyone on foot.
Investigators say the early Thursday chase wrapped up only after the driver crashed near Kennedy Boulevard, bailed from the car, hid in nearby bushes and jumped a fence into a construction area. Troopers later reported finding a handgun and suspected narcotics in the Tesla, and the man now faces a stack of felony and misdemeanor charges.
According to Tampa Bay 28, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper was running speed enforcement on I-275 northbound near mile marker 39 just after 2 a.m. on June 4 when a Tesla in the express lanes lit up the radar at about 106 mph in a 55 mph zone. The driver, identified by troopers as Myron Harris, allegedly hit the gas when the trooper tried to pull him over, exiting onto Kennedy Boulevard and cutting into a parking lot, where he struck property and threw a bag of marijuana out of the car.
The outlet reports that the Tesla then hit a curb and a light pole, and Harris took off on foot. Troopers say he tried to disappear into bushes and then jumped a fence into a construction area before they caught up with him and took him into custody. Inside the Tesla, troopers say they recovered a handgun, bags containing methamphetamine and an unknown narcotic, a scale and empty narcotic bags.
Speed Meets Florida's 'Super Speeder' Statute
Florida's "dangerous excessive speeding" law, Fla. Stat. § 316.1922, makes it a crime to drive 50 mph or more over the posted limit or 100 mph or more, with fines and possible jail time among the penalties. A recorded speed of about 106 mph in a 55 mph zone clears that 50 mph threshold, a detail that could factor into prosecutors' charging decisions even though formal filings had not yet been announced.
Howard Frankland Has Seen Stepped Up Enforcement
Troopers have been busy on the Howard Frankland Bridge in recent months, with the span becoming a regular target for speed crackdowns. As FOX 13 reported earlier this year, troopers previously arrested a driver they say was clocked at more than 120 mph on the bridge, and coverage of similar chases along the corridor has highlighted just how often the stretch turns into a raceway.
Officials note that the bridge's posted speed limits and ongoing construction make the area especially hazardous when drivers decide the rules are optional.
Charges And Next Steps
According to Tampa Bay 28, Harris was arrested on charges that include fleeing and eluding at a high speed, drug possession, tampering with evidence and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Booking and bond details were not immediately available. Prosecutors are expected to decide on formal filings and court dates in the coming days, while the Florida Highway Patrol continues its investigation and provides updates to local media.
