Lake Magdalene Man Charged in Theft, Crash that Closed I-275 South

A 29-year-old Lake Magdalene man faces a host of charges after police say he stole two vehicles – including one owned by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue – and crashed them both.

The final accident resulted in the southbound lanes of Interstate 275 being closed near Ashley Drive during rush hour Wednesday. Those lanes were still closed at 8:30 p.m.

The incident began around 5 p.m. when the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to a crash at Nebraska Avenue and 139th Street in North Tampa. A single vehicle struck a pole there. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue also responded to the crash, an email from sheriff’s office spokeswoman Debbie Carter stated.

When a battalion chief with fire rescue arrived on the scene, the man who crashed the vehicle jumped out of the car, jumped into the chief’s fire pickup truck and took off.

Deputies notified the Tampa Police Department of the chase that had entered I-275 at Bearss Avenue around 5:15 p.m., department spokeswoman Andrea Davis wrote in an email to media.

Deputies pursued the stolen truck onto southbound I-275 and ended their chase around Sligh Avenue where the Tampa Police picked it up.

The truck, however, crashed into another vehicle near the Ashley Drive exit, the sheriff’s office said.

Following the pickup truck’s crash, Davis said, the man got out of the truck and tried to run.

Two officers chased him and were able to bring him into custody “after a violent struggle,” Davis said.

The driver of the vehicle struck by the pickup was taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment. Both officers also required medical attention, Davis said. One may have a broken hand and stitches were required.

John Michael Edgerton of 13918 Shady Shores Drive now faces two counts of grand theft auto, two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence and aggravated fleeing.

Davis anticipated the southbound lanes of I-275 would reopen around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.