A suspect was taken into custody after leading police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Pinellas County in Florida on March 8th. At one point, the man attempted to carjack a Chevrolet C7 Corvette, but ultimately failed.
The chase began at approximately 4:15 p.m., when Pinellas County deputies responded to a report of two men engaging in a physical fight outside the Dunedin Cove Motel. The main suspect, 27-year-old Kenneth Lunford, allegedly took the car keys from the man he’d been fighting with and drove off in the stolen vehicle.
Lunford led deputies on a chase through several coastal towns: Clearwater, Largo, Belleair Bluffs, and Indian Rocks Beach. He recklessly forced the stolen red sedan through the streets, causing several minor collisions as he traveled down the road at a high rate of speed.
At a stoplight on Gulf Boulevard in Indian Rocks Beach, Lunford sped to the front of a long line of stopped vehicles with his sights set on a white C7 Corvette Grand Sport, a Coupe model with its manually-removable top removed. In a move that would have been more easily executed in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, he attempted to block the Corvette’s exit path and aggressively approached the driver’s side door, clearly interested in procuring the vehicle so he could further evade capture. He tried to open the door, but found it locked, and the Corvette’s driver simply took off through the gap Lunford had left between his initial getaway car and the curb. Lunford was left Corvette-less, and returned to his sedan to continue the chase.
Lunford narrowly missed a collision with the same Corvette further down the road as he sped away. He then ran a red light and smashed into the rear of a black Mustang that was attempting to make a right turn. The driver of the Mustang wasn’t as resourceful as the Corvette’s, as Lunford promptly ditched the stolen sedan and carjacked the Mustang instead.
The chase came to an end when Lunford wrecked the Mustang and attempted to flee on foot into the mangroves. With the aid of a helicopter, police apprehended him in the water of the Intercoastal Waterway. He was arrested and later charged with 31 counts, including leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, driving under the influence, fleeing and eluding, carjacking, and attempted carjacking.
Check out the thrilling chase in the embedded video below. The Corvette makes its appearance around the 8:25 mark.
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Comments
As a Florida resident & CCW holder, I never leave home without one of my Glocks.
The C7 owner could have put an end to this without any damage to his side glass or roof…! As it is, this menace will be out after just a short time and doing the same thing(s) again.
A part of me would like to see the penalty for car theft to be what it was for stealing a horse.
We are vacationing in Indian Shores, FL, and were trying to go north on Gulf Blvd. about three miles to Indian Rocks Beach to meet friends for dinner. We were passed by six police cars, three ambulances and a fire truck with sirens going at a high rate of speed. Then, the road was blocked. We suspected something big was going down!
What’s difference does it make you won’t use it anyways.
Further proof why it’s so necessary to Carry and also pay for Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist Coverage. Thankful there were no small children in the back seats like what has happened so often in St. Louis.
Who cares????? Another lame story, because somebody can’t find anything interesting to write about!
Notice how you’re the only one complaining. Sense of entitlement is strong with this one.
No Gladys, if I read something I like to be informed! This is GM Authority, not GM Someone stole my new Vette and the simplest things excite me!
Too funny, 21lames, maybe more after this? Simple things for simple minds!
I like reading Pros and Cons. Stirs the blood,and helps offset dementia!
35 👎 to the 👎
35 👎 to 👎
Exceptional police work. A+ Great helicopter coverage.
This bad actor did nearly a million dollars in collision damage by all the side swipes. This bad actor is very fit with a strong heart. I would have had a heart attack at the outset of the flee driving like a maniac on steroids.
My C7 GS has a pistol holster mounted underneath of the steering wheel. A .38 hollow point to the melon will have these miscreants taking a dirt nap in short order. Nobody will miss these wastes of oxygen.
Shocking!
Another Amish individual causing trouble.
Kicked out of an Amish buggy or 2?….
I would of gave him a permanent convertible.
Again…….Florida…..
Bro Florida stays tripping dude
I like reading Pros and Cons. Stirs the blood,and helps offset dementia!
On a serious note Tactical flashlights and Tazers Will render a hijacker incapable .
2 things, once they had the bird on him, he could had been paced and stopped in less crowded areas also its funny that GM offer big bumbling boxes for an interceptor, couldn’t even catch a Malibu or a damaged base Mustang, then crash into everything except the suspect, a CT5 based police car would made the difference…
I want to know HOW did he ever get that far with NO POLICE ANYWHERE until he came to a “DEAD END”?????? Too bad an alligator didn’t get him!