Published on Sunday, October 30, 2005
in the Gainesville Sun

Two arrested in high-speed chase across two counties

No one was seriously injured in a high-speed vehicle chase Saturday morning that reached speeds of more than 100 mph, spanned two counties, and ended with the driver facing eight criminal charges, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The chase began around 8 a.m. Saturday when FHP Trooper Jason Berger attempted to pull over a Ford Taurus traveling north on Interstate 75 at 92 mph through Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park.

The driver, Robert Bleckley Trueblood, 30, of Holiday, did not stop and instead sped up, and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office sent units to assist FHP.

Meanwhile, Trueblood's passenger and girlfriend, Cecilia Manning, 20, of Holiday, began gesturing out the back window of the vehicle as if she needed help.

"We didn't know until after the stop that it was his girlfriend," FHP Lt. Mike Burroughs said. "Our suspicion was that she was a kidnapping or rape victim until after the stop. We highly suspect they were both under the influence of methamphetamine. And he drank two to three beers during the entire pursuit time."

At one point, Manning threw bags of white powder out the window that later field-tested positive for cocaine, according to FHP.

Trueblood avoided all attempts to end the chase and made it into Columbia County, where the Columbia County Sheriff's Office joined the pursuit, Burroughs said.

CCSO Deputy Donald Sands eventually ended the chase by tapping the rear of Trueblood's vehicle, causing it to spin, brush another parked car and hit a bulldozer before coming to a stop.

Once stopped, a search of Trueblood's car found 355 grams of a substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine.

FHP charged Trueblood with driving under the influence, driving under the influence with property damage, driving while license suspended or revoked, reckless driving and having an open container of alcohol while operating a vehicle. FHP charged Manning with destruction of evidence.

The CCSO charged Trueblood with aggravated fleeing and eluding, driving while license suspended or revoked and having two active warrants for violation of probation and worthless checks.

The two were booked into the Columbia County jail.