A high-speed chase in Silver Springs, Florida, ended in a devastating collision after Kendra Boone, 33, commandeered a Marion County Sheriff’s Office patrol car.
The incident, occurring around 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 1, 2024, resulted in the deaths of Boone and two people in the truck, and left a third person in the truck severely injured.
Deputies were called to the scene at Forest Plaza in Silver Springs following reports of Boone’s attempt to steal an elderly woman’s car keys.
Although unsuccessful in obtaining the keys, Boone continued to try to access the vehicle, which led to a law enforcement response.
Upon arriving, Deputy Chris Witte instructed Boone to stand behind his patrol vehicle.
Boone disregarded the order, and as Witte exited his vehicle, she entered his SUV through the passenger side and managed to get control of the vehicle.
Despite Witte’s attempts to impede the suspect, Boone fled the scene in the marked police vehicle at a very dangerous speed.
Deputies reported that she headed east on East Highway 40, covering several miles before executing a U-turn close to a weigh station located just west of Highway 19.
While she was traveling west, deputies deployed stopsticks in her anticipated path. Despite this, she made another U-turn before reaching the stopsticks, reversing her direction to head east on East Highway 40 again.
The deputies noted that Boone’s speed, exceeding 100 MPH, and erratic driving made it difficult for Deputy Terri Barnes to maintain visual contact with the stolen vehicle, losing sight of it multiple times.
She arrived at the 26700 block of E. Highway 40, and it’s alleged that she veered off the road onto the right shoulder in an attempt to overtake a semi-truck.
Upon reentering the roadway, the suspect lost control of her vehicle, veered into the opposite traffic lane, and collided with a pickup truck.
Boone and two people in the truck were pronounced dead at the scene, while the third occupant of the truck was transported to a local hospital in Ocala, Florida, in critical condition.
The Florida Highway Patrol is leading a thorough investigation into the crash. While specific identities of the pickup truck occupants have not been publicly disclosed, it is known that the deceased included a 73-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman from Waterloo, South Carolina.
Sheriff Billy Woods, addressing the incident, emphasized the unpredictability of the situation, stating that even with extensive experience, law enforcement officers could find themselves in similarly uncontrollable scenarios.
He robustly defended his deputy’s actions, emphasizing the challenges faced by officers in the field.
Boone’s criminal background, including 13 felony charges and nine misdemeanor convictions, has been scrutinized.
Her recent release from prison after serving a two-year sentence has prompted discussions on sentencing practices, with Sheriff Woods suggesting that longer, consecutive sentences would have prevented this tragedy.
Boone was given credit for 30 months served for a different crime, shaving that time off her sentence.
