Woman Facing Numerous Charges After St. Petersburg Carjacking
At approximately 9:44 a.m. on Monday, June 5, 2017, a woman walked to her red Chevrolet rental car in the 3200 block of 36th Avenue North and got into the driver’s seat.
According to police, a woman later identified as 31 year-old Michelle Renee LaMotte walked up to the Chevrolet and began hitting and kicking the woman seated in the Chevrolet in an attempt to carjack the vehicle.
The woman in the Chevrolet did not know LaMotte.
LaMotte was able to physically obtain the keys to the rental Chevrolet and hurriedly drove away with the stolen car. An officer, who was in the area of 36th Avenue and 33rd Street, witnessed LaMotte driving erratically and observed LaMotte commit a hit and run to another car at the intersection.
The officer was unaware at the time that the Chevrolet that LaMotte was driving had just been taken via carjacking.
The hit and run accident caused the Chevy to sustain damage to one of its tires, which hindered the operation of the car, limiting it to 5-10 m.p.h. of speed.
The officer got behind the Chevrolet and after calling-in the information on the vehicle, proceeded to initiate a traffic stop on the slow-moving car.
LaMotte refused to stop and subsequently hit another car at low speed at the intersection of 30th Avenue North and 37th Street. LaMotte then jumped out of the carjacked Chevy and got into the vehicle she just hit, attempting to take this car from the driver.
LaMotte was then taken into custody by the officer who had attempted to initiate the traffic stop on LaMotte.
LaMotte was transported to a local hospital for medical clearance. While at the hospital and being read her Miranda rights, LaMotte slapped the hand of the officer, grabbed the Miranda card from the officer and threw it.
LaMotte is facing numerous criminal charges.