A Sunday morning convenience store stop in Lakeland turned into a criminal arrest and a high-speed chase. Around 8:00 a.m., a man stopped at the Circle K at 8324 US 98. When he returned to his car after visiting the store, he noticed that his cell phone had been stolen from the front seat.
The victim quickly used the device’s tracking feature, which located the phone at another nearby business.
When the man arrived at the second site, he discovered that the signal was coming from an unattended black PT Cruiser nearby. As he watched, a woman approached the car and realized he was watching her.
The woman rushed into the PT Cruiser and fled the area at high speeds. Witnesses described the vehicle weaving recklessly across traffic while the driver tried to flee. The victim alerted the sheriff’s office, and deputies ultimately intercepted the car.
After a brief attempt to evade police, the motorist was apprehended and arrested.
At the time of arrest, the suspect said, “The phone is on the seat.” Authorities recovered the cellphone and returned it to its rightful owner.
Police identified the driver as Erica Latrice Oliver, 48, of Miami. Investigators discovered that Oliver had two prior theft convictions from Columbia and Duval counties.
The morning’s incidents included more than just the vehicle burglary. The Lakeland Police Department also charged Oliver after learning she had reportedly sparked a small fire inside the restroom of a local Dollar General earlier in the day.
Oliver was taken to the Sheriff’s Processing Center and faces a number of charges, including first-degree criminal arson. She has also been charged with felony petty theft, burglary of a conveyance, fleeing to escape and careless driving.
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