St. Petersburg Man Arrested After Vehicle Theft and Chase Ends on Longboat Key
HOLMES BEACH — A St. Petersburg man is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing a vehicle from Manatee Public Beach and leading law enforcement on a multi-jurisdictional pursuit.
Holmes Beach police arrested 34-year-old Brandon Rhodes on May 1 on two third-degree felony charges: fleeing to elude law enforcement and theft of a motor vehicle. He was also charged with a second-degree misdemeanor for driving with a suspended license.
The incident began around 5 p.m. when a Holmes Beach officer responded to a report of a stolen car at 4000 Gulf Drive. The vehicle’s owner informed the police that an Apple AirTag attached to his keys enabled him to track the vehicle’s location in real-time.
The stolen vehicle was seen heading south on Gulf Drive, prompting the Holmes Beach Police Department to alert the Longboat Key Police Department. Longboat Key officers located the vehicle and initiated a pursuit. The car eventually came to a stop in the 4300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Holmes Beach police brought the vehicle’s owner to the scene, where a formal complaint was filed. Rhodes was then taken into custody and transported to the Manatee County jail, where he remained as of May 7 with a bond set at $5,150.
If convicted, Rhodes could face up to five years in prison for each third-degree felony and up to 60 days in jail for the misdemeanor offense.
His arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, June 13, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.