Crime & Safety
Pinellas County, FL: Attempted Rape Suspect Leads Deputies on I-275 Chase
St. Pete Beach, FL – A woman escaped an alleged attempted sexual assault in St. Pete Beach after several Good Samaritans intervened Wednesday morning, October 21, leading to a high speed police pursui
By Lauren Beckett · 2026-10-23T20:36:03.773Z
St. Pete Beach, FL – A woman escaped an alleged attempted sexual assault in St. Pete Beach after several Good Samaritans intervened Wednesday morning, October 21, leading to a high speed police pursuit that ended when Pinellas County deputies forced the suspect's pickup truck to stop on Interstate 275.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff 's Office, Michael Jackson, described by authorities as a transient man, allegedly attacked a woman he did not know, pushed her to the ground and attempted to rape her.
Good Samaritans Intervene During Attack Several bystanders witnessed the alleged assault and pulled Jackson away from the woman, deputies said.
Multiple people called 911 to report the incident.
Before responding deputies arrived, Jackson allegedly fled the area in a rented Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.
Authorities did not release additional details about the woman's condition or whether she required medical treatment.
Suspect Flees Onto Interstate 275 Deputies subsequently located the rented pickup and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
According to the sheriff's office, Jackson allegedly refused to stop and began driving erratically.
The pursuit continued onto Interstate 275, where deputies reported the pickup was traveling at a high rate of speed.
To end the pursuit, deputies performed a PIT maneuver , a law enforcement technique used to disable a fleeing vehicle by causing it to turn sideways.
The maneuver successfully stopped the pickup, allowing deputies to take Jackson into custody.
Suspect Faces Multiple Charges The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office announced that Jackson was arrested on charges of:
Attempted sexual battery False imprisonment Fleeing and eluding The sheriff's office also released video footage showing portions of the pursuit along I 275.
Officials said Jackson's booking photograph was not immediately available because of his uncooperative behavior while in custody.
The department indicated the photograph would be released when available.
Authorities have not announced additional details about the investigation or the woman's condition.
All charges are allegations. Jackson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.