A motorcyclist was killed and a Pasco County deputy injured after a traffic stop turned into a two-county pursuit.
According to reports, Dep. Ashley Grady stopped a Dodge Ram pick-up truck on suspicion of DUI at about 7:19 a.m. Tuesday at the intersection of U.S. 19 and Florestate Drive in Hudson.
Deputies said the suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Brittany Elizabeth Miles of Spring Hill, had been handcuffed when she somehow got back into the truck and took off with Grady reaching into the window to stop her from fleeing.
Officials said Miles drove across three lanes of U.S. 19 with Grady hanging from the window, deputies said. Grady fell off the truck in the southbound lanes.
Miles then fled north into Hernando County on U.S. 19. She was approaching the intersection with County Line Road when she sped through a red light, investigators said.
Henry F. McCain, 66, was heading west on County Line Road in the left turn lane and had just entered the intersection when Miles crashed into him, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
McCain was declared dead at the scene.
Barbara Stern was in her car at the intersection of U.S. 19 and County Line road at the time.
"Everything went through the air," she said. "It just went through the air. Metal was flying everywhere."
Stern said she almost became part of the chaos.
"A couple of seconds later it would have been me," Stern said. "I had an angel watching over me."
Beth Richards saw debris from the crash a half-a-mile away.
"It almost looked as if there was a fire starting in the distance but it was dirt," she said, "so you know something happened ahead."
Miles continued north, despite flat tires on her truck, until she was arrested by deputies near Spring Hill Drive and U.S. 19, the report said.
Grady was taken by helicopter to a local hospital. She suffered a head injury and scrapes, but she is expected to be okay.
The Florida Highway Patrol has charged Miles with homicide in addition to charges filed by the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Miles, the daughter of a Hernando County Sheriff's deputy, remains in jail in Hernando County.
FHP is asking any witnesses to the crash involving Miles and the motorcyclist to call 352-754-6767.
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