By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
A 40-year-old Ocala woman driving on a flat tire led the Levy County Sheriff’s Office on a 25-mile slow-speed chase from Williston to Chiefland Saturday night before being spun off the road by a Florida Highway Patrol officer and corralled in a grassy median.
When sheriff’s deputies finally blocked her exit from the median, Patricia Diane Jones rammed one of the sheriff’s patrol vehicles with her 2018 Nissan but couldn’t escape. She was taken into custody on charges of felony fleeing and attempting to elude, driving under the influence, and reckless driving. She claimed she was on a mission from God.
“Patricia’s eyes were dilated, she was sweaty, and she freely stated that she was on a mission from God, she had “revelations” and it was her job to go out and tell everyone about these “revelations,” according to a sheriff’s office arrest report.
Jones’ Nissan was operating on three blown tires by the time she was stopped. Deputies threw law enforcement “stop sticks” in front of her vehicle on U.S. 27A in Chiefland, which flattened two additional tires. She was already running on one flat. She refused to stop.
An FHP officer was cleared to use a “pit maneuver” to stop her. The officer drove an FHP patrol vehicle next to Jones’ back fender as she was driving on U.S. 27A on one tire and three flats. The trooper used the FHP patrol vehicle to push the back of her vehicle sideways until the rear tires lost grip and she spun off the highway into the median.
Jones had come to the attention of the sheriff’s office around 9 p.m. when a 911 caller said a car had run stop lights and stop signs in Williston and was driving on one flat tire. When a deputy found the vehicle and turned on his emergency flashing lights behind it, he saw Jones stick her hand out the window and give a thumbs up as if to say she was okay. She continued driving toward Bronson on the flat tire.
The deputy said Jones continued driving westbound at 60 miles per hour. As she entered Bronson, Jones stuck her hand out the window and gave the deputy the middle finger. The deputy activated the patrol car’s siren as the vehicle approached the town’s only red light. She drove between cars parked at the red light almost hitting the rear of the vehicles. She drove through the red light and continued on U.S. 27A in the direction of Chiefland.
Jones continued driving at 60 miles per hour. The deputy could see her in her driver’s mirror that she was “dancing in her driver’s seat.” She could clearly be seen rocking her head back and forth, smiling and rolling her shoulders. Deputy K. Smith attempted to set stop sticks at the intersection of U.S. 27A and NE 94th Place but was unable to get the stop sticks set up in time. A second deputy attempted to set up stop sticks at U.S. 27A in front of Another Way women’s shelter but was unable to do so in time.
Deputies decided to set up the stop sticks farther ahead of Jones. She ran over the stop sticks and blew out her front and back passenger tires, but the rear driver’s side tire remained inflated. She continued driving. An FHP trooper joined the pursuit at the request of the sheriff’s office. The trooper performed a pit maneuver that spun Jones into the median. She was blocked from escaping by several deputies in patrol cars.
After being cleared by Levy County EMS paramedics, she spoke to deputies. Jones made the statement about being on a mission from God. She said she was on her way to Devils Den and the nearby botanical gardens. When asked if she knew where she was, she said she was in Williston. She was actually in Chiefland.
“Patricia went on to say that a voice from above called her to go there,” the report said.
Jones was asked if she was under the influence of drugs. She said she had used CBD oil that day and also “her hit pen.” She said she uses a vape pen to smoke the CBD oil.
“Patricia was then asked why she did not stop whenever I activated my emergency lights and siren,” the deputy’s report said. “Patricia stated she was on “a mission from God” and that she had “revelations,” these revelations being that “Jesus is alive.”
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Enterprise reporting by Terry Witt July 18, 2022; Posted July 18, 2022
