Man Arrested After High-Speed Chase Through Area

A Dade City man is now in jail after he led Tampa Police Department (TPD) officers on a high-speed chase that started near the Richmond Place community.

The suspect, Montrelle Anderson Semone, took TPD officers on a chase from New Tampa past Wesley Chapel and finally ended in San Antonio where he was arrested thanks to the help of police helicopters and K-9 units.

On December 9, TPD officers Joe Perrone and David DiMarco were conducting speed enforcement near the intersection of Richmond Place Dr. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. when they attempted to flag down Semone for driving his 2003 Pontiac Vibe too fast. According to a TPD report, Semone, 36, of Dade City, fled a short distance before two unmarked patrol cars that were dispatched in the area boxed him in near Galbraith Rd. and Antietam Ct., behind Sukothai restaurant. The two officers waited for Perrone and DiMacro to arrive before approaching Semone.

While he was pulled over, Semone refused both officers’ commands to exit his car and he locked the driver’s door. When Perrone went to the rear of the car to try other doors or windows for entry, Semone put the car in reverse and accelerated toward Perrone, who had to dive out of the way to avoid being struck by the Pontiac SUV before it sped on to BBD Blvd.

Semone then headed northbound on I-75 and with officers in hot pursuit, he tried to lose Officer DiMarco by intentionally ramming his police car so hard that it disabled the cruiser.

Officers continued to follow Semone into Pasco County, where speeds reached 100 mph before he exited onto S.R. 52 and then turned onto Pasco Rd., where he bailed out of his car and ran into a wooded area.

Additional TPD officers along with Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) deputies and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers arrived and a perimeter was quickly set up on the side of Pasco Rd. TPD Air Service responded with helicopters as well as K-9 officers from TPD and the PCSO. Eventually, Semone surrendered and officers arrested him without further incident, no one was injured in the chase or search.

Semone was transported to the Hillsborough County Jail, where he remains on a $37,750 for five charges that include three counts of aggravated assault on an officer, aggravated fleeing to elude and driving with a suspended license. He has previously been arrested in Pasco County for driving with a suspended license.