A Gainesville woman who carjacked a vehicle and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase on Tuesday was arrested on multiple charges
According to Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) spokesperson, Capt. Chris Simms, the incident started around 1:34 p.m. on Tuesday when an ACSO deputy observed a silver BMW passenger vehicle that had struck several vehicles, jumped a median and started traveling west in the eastbound SW Williston Road lanes around the area of S. Main Street.
The deputy tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver, later identified as 42-year-old Jessica Maria Hord, fled. The deputy pursued Hord until she entered a school zone and, for safety reasons, the pursuit ended as Hord continued to drive in a reckless manner into oncoming traffic.
During this time, the deputy was informed that the vehicle was just stolen during a carjacking that occurred in Gainesville. The deputy re-initiated the pursuit and Hord eventually lost control of the vehicle at SW Williston Road and the northbound Interstate 75 on-ramp, where she collided with the cab of a FedEx tractor-trailer.
Emergency responders transported Hord to a local hospital after she sustained multiple injuries, and the case was turned over to the Gainesville Police Department (GPD).
ACSO will be charging Hord with fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer (LEO) at high speed, according to Simms.
According to a GPD email sent to Mainstreet, GPD initially responded to a call that the suspect, Hord, stole a victim’s car using force.
GPD charges against Hord include drug equipment possession and/or use, marijuana possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis, robbery carjacking without a firearm or weapon.
Hord is being held in the Alachua County Jail.
