FLORIDA — A high-speed chase reaching more than 100 mph ended in an arrest Monday night after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper used a PIT maneuver to stop a fleeing driver on Interstate 275, according to authorities.
The incident began around 10:30 p.m. when deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop. Investigators said the driver, identified as 48-year-old Jesse Richard Long, refused to pull over and sped away.
Authorities said a helicopter tracked Long as he drove onto I-275 in a white Mercedes-Benz SUV. Troopers later located the vehicle just north of mile marker 48 and attempted to initiate a stop.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Long initially appeared to pull over but continued moving at a slow speed, creating what officials described as an “extreme hazard” for other drivers.
Troopers said Long then accelerated again, reaching speeds of more than 105 mph — nearly double the posted 55 mph speed limit — as he continued to flee.
A trooper eventually executed a PIT maneuver, causing the SUV to spin across the interstate. Law enforcement vehicles then surrounded the car, and Long was taken into custody.
Authorities said Long was already on probation for a previous aggravated assault charge. He now faces additional charges including violation of probation, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and driving without a valid license.
Jail records show Long was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail, where he is being held without bond.
The incident remains under investigation.
