Published on Saturday, June 17, 2006
in the Tampa Bay Online

Holiday Man Leads Troopers On Wild Chase Off Parkway

NEW PORT RICHEY - Ignoring the blue lights and siren, Robert Myles Lantrip raced south on the Suncoast Parkway, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Larry Coggins said.

Trooper Robert Douglass clocked Lantrip's 1998 Mitsubishi sedan at 83 mph in the 70 mph zone and attempted to pull him over about 3:30 p.m. Thursday as he exited the parkway at State Road 54.

Douglass radioed Trooper Jerry Broxson, who spotted the Mitsubishi and joined the chase.

With two cruisers behind him, Lantrip continued driving until he lost control, spinning his car out near Starkey Boulevard, Coggins said.

Lantrip bailed out and ran north on Starkey as Douglass closed in with his cruiser, troopers said.

The suspect tried to carjack a Honda Accord but couldn't get inside. He moved on to a minivan, but that attempt failed, too, Coggins said.

Broxson and Douglass both ran toward Lantrip and ordered him to stop numerous times, but he wouldn't cooperate. The troopers tackled and cuffed him, with Lantrip still resisting arrest, Coggins said.

Broxson's wrist was broken during the scuffle, troopers said.

Lantrip, 19, of 2544 Ochatilla Road, Holiday, later told troopers he was afraid of being stopped because his driver's license had been revoked, Coggins said.

He was being held at the Land O' Lakes jail Friday on two counts of attempted carjacking, fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, driving while license revoked and resisting arrest with violence. Bail was set at $26,500.