LAKELAND, Fla. — A 73-year-old woman was killed after a cross-county police chase ended with a crash between eight vehicles on Thursday morning, authorities said.
The chase started Thursday in Plant City after dispatchers responded to a possible kidnapping call from a woman inside a suspect's car, according to investigators. The woman said she was worried she may have been stabbed.
Plant City police reportedly tried to pull the driver and suspect, James Gougeon III but he refused to stop.
Gougeon allegedly led police through multiple cities before colliding with other vehicles at the intersection of Harden Boulevard and Frontage Road.
Gougeon, 50, was driving a Mercedes and entered the intersection on a solid red light and hit the front of a black Ford SUV, Lakeland police said. Debris from the collision then hit a grey Subaru as Gourgeon continued on, striking a concrete median and hitting another Ford SUV, according to police.
That SUV hit a grey Volkswagen and grey Honda, which hit a black Chrysler and blue Chevrolet. After the crash, Gougeon tried to leave on foot but was taken into custody by Plant City and Lakeland police officers.
The woman who was reportedly inside the car and had made the initial 911 call wasn't at the crash site. Plant City police said during the chase dispatchers were told the woman had somehow gotten out. Police said officers spoke with her right before the crash happened.
Once in police custody, Gougeon was transported to the hospital along with multiple other drivers and a passenger of one of the cars hit.
The driver of the second Ford SUV hit was 73-year-old Pamela Damewood who was injured and died at the hospital.
Gougeon was charged with multiple crimes:
- Fleeing to elude with reckless high speed involving injury or death
- Leaving the scene of a crash involving death
- Knowingly driving on a suspended license with 3 or more offenses
- Three counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving injury
- Four counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage
He also received citations for careless driving, expired tag/registration less than six months and failing to stop at a steady red signal, according to police.
The 11 people involved ranged in age from 8 years old to 73. On Thursday, investigators said although the call came in as a kidnapping, it appears the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute and that the woman and the driver knew each other.
The roadway was shut down for more than 7.5 hours as police investigated.
