SPRING HILL, Fla — A drone helped Hernando County deputies arrest two people accused of driving away from an attempted traffic stop early Sunday morning in a stolen car.
Just before 4 a.m., deputies say they attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the driver at a 7-Eleven parking lot on Barclay Avenue in Spring Hill.
Deputies say the driver, later identified as 32-year-old Keshawn Jones, sped off in the stolen car and headed south on Barclay Avenue. Another passenger was also in the car. Authorities say she was identified as Cynthia Richards, also 32 years old.
According to law enforcement, once the two drove off, deputies lost sight of the car, and another deputy was able to use a drone to assist in the search.
After receiving permission to fly in the area, the drone found the two on the run near Legends Hill Lane – a little over 4 miles away from the 7-Eleven convenience store, investigators said.
Deputies say they responded to the area and saw Jones jump over a fence then run across Suncoast Parkway. The drone followed him to the intersection of Blair Avenue and Drew Street where Hernando County deputies were able to take him into custody, according to the sheriff's office.
The drone then looped back to the area of Switch Back Road and Jumper Loop to find Richards. Deputies say they were able to find her walking along Cartwrite Road and took her into custody as well.
Upon the initial investigation, Jones's charges included grand theft auto, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and knowingly driving with a suspended license. While Richards was charged with grand theft auto.
Deputies found a multitude of stolen items from Walmart on Commercial Way inside of the stolen car. The two were then charged with an additional count of grand theft in connection with the stolen property.
Jones's bond was set at $55,000 and Richards' bond was set at $40,000 at their first court appearances. The two remain in the Hernando County Detention Center.
