Passenger Carjacked Vehicle During Traffic Stop, Troopers Say

A 19-year-old St. Petersburg man faces a host of charges after Florida Highway Patrol Troopers say he carjacked a rental car in front of them.

The incident unfolded around 12:09 a.m. Saturday when a trooper stopped a 2015 Dodge Charger. It seems the Hertz rental car was heading south on Interstate 275 near 54th Avenue North without headlights on.

During the course of the routine traffic stop, the trooper and additional officers who arrived to help out, began to talk with one of the passengers, Rashaad Malik Browning. As they were chatting, Browning is accused of “sprinting” back to the passenger side of the vehicle, an email from highway patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins stated.

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Browning then carjacked the “vehicle by forcing the driver out of the vehicle, then slamming the trooper’s arm in the closing driver’s door,” Gaskins added.

Browning then took off southbound on I-275, exiting onto 38th Avenue North. On that road, he crashed into the center median, got out of the car and fled on foot. St. Petersburg police, however, were able to catch up with him rather quickly.

Browning was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on 13 charges, including aggravated assault and battery on law enforcement officers, carjacking, grand theft and fleeing and eluding.

When asked if there was a reason why Browning fled, Gaskins said he has a history of doing so.

Browning had not been fully booked into the Pinellas jail as of Saturday morning so a complete list of charges and anticipated bond amount were not available.

Troopers have not released the name of the initial driver.

Photos courtesy of the Pinellas County Jail and the Florida Highway Patrol