TAMPA, Fla. – A driver’s attempt to evade a traffic stop ended with his arrest Saturday evening, thanks to the keen eye in the sky of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Aviation Section.
According to HCSO, the incident began on May 24, 2025, when a Toyota Camry fled from an attempted traffic stop. At approximately 7:35 p.m., the HCSO Aviation Section located the fleeing vehicle on Causeway Boulevard in Tampa. Air deputies maintained visual contact, tracking the Camry as it continued its flight.
READ: Tampa DUI Mayhem: Pedestrian’s Leg Severed; 3 Arrested After Chaos Erupts On S. Howard
The pursuit ended when the driver, later identified as Francisco Guindin, 36, attempted to conceal the vehicle in brush along the side of the Selmon Expressway off-ramp to I-75. Ground deputies, guided by the Aviation Section, moved in and took Guindin into custody.
Guindin faces a litany of charges, including:
- Reckless Driving With Property Damage or Personal Injury (x2)
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Possession of a Controlled Substance
- Leaving the Scene of a Crash With Property Damage (x2 counts implied by original text, clarified as separate incidents if applicable or combined if one incident with multiple instances of leaving)
- Resisting Officer Without Violence
- Fleeing to Elude Highspeed
- Failure of Career Offender to Register or Provide Info
- Tampering With Physical Evidence
READ: Memorial Day Crackdown: “Operation Remember The Fallen” Nets 29 DUI Arrests In Hillsborough County
“Attempting to flee from a traffic stop is not only incredibly reckless but will never pay off and will only make things worse,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Our deputies in the air and on the ground do a great job at tracking suspects like this one down and putting them behind bars.”
Guindin was transported to the Hillsborough County Jail for processing.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
