Police criticise Florida ‘moron’ who stole sheriff’s car and killed 3 including herself

Kendra Boone jumped into a deputy’s patrol car through the passenger window before speeding off in a high-speed chase

The booking photo for Kendra Boone ( Marion County Sheriff’s Office)

A Florida woman stole a deputy sheriff’s patrol car and sent law enforcement on a car chase that ended with her and two others dead.

The woman — later identified as Kendra Boone, 33 — caught authorities’ attention on Thursday after she was reported for allegedly trying to steal an older woman’s keys in Silver Springs, the Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said at a press conference.

Sheriff’s deputy Chris Witte responded to the incident, stepping out of his vehicle and telling Boone to go to the back of it. Instead, she jumped into the passenger side window and into the driver’s seat, where the keys were still in the ignition, and sped off.

Ms Boone fled in the stolen car for several miles, driving “well over 100 miles per hour and driving erratically during her attempt to evade deputies,” Mr Woods said.

While trying to pass a semi-truck on the highway, Ms Boone moved over to the shoulder. When she merged back onto the road, she lost control of the car and collided with oncoming traffic.

Ms Boone crashed head-on into a pickup truck, Mr Woods said. She and the three people who’d been in the pickup truck were found unresponsive by deputies.

A 73-year-old man and 72-year-old woman in the pickup truck were declared dead at the scene. The third passenger was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

“This moron stole a police vehicle and killed two human beings,” Mr Woods said.

Ms Boone had a sprawling criminal history, including 13 felony charges. She had been released from prison weeks earlier, Mr Woods said.