High-Speed Pursuit Ends with Florida Woman Jumping into Canal After Stealing Car During Test Drive: Affidavit
Melina Logan accused of stealing car during test drive and then crashing it after a high-speed chase with cops, officials said.
May 24 2024, Published 12:04 p.m. ET
A Florida woman was arrested after police said she stole a car during a test drive at a dealership and then led officers on a high-speed chase that ended with her jumping into a canal.
On May 9, Melina Logan, 27, went to Honda of South Miami to test drive a new 2024 Honda Civic, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WRBW.
After the test drive was complete, Logan waited for the salesperson to exit the car and then sped off, police said.
The Miami-Dade Police Department alerted law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the stolen vehicle.
Shortly after that, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper located the vehicle on the highway and tried to conduct a traffic stop.
However, Logan refused to stop and continued driving recklessly down the highway at a high rate of speed, officials said.
Police said Logan allegedly reached 90 mph during the chase and made “aggressive lane changes between heavy traffic" and used the paved shoulder in an attempt to bypass traffic.
The incident was captured on the trooper’s dash camera, which can be seen here.
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The pursuit came to an end when Logan approached standstill traffic on an exit ramp and collided with three vehicles, causing the Honda Civic to become disabled.
Because the driver’s side door of the stolen vehicle became inoperable, officials said Logan attempted to exit the vehicle through the passenger side door, which was pinned against a concrete barrier.
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When Logan got the passenger side door, she hopped over the barrier and jumped into a nearby water canal, the affidavit states.
Logan refused to grab safety ropes and officers eventually were forced to jump into the water. After a brief struggle, Logan was taken into custody, according to police.
Police charged her with multiple crimes, including grand theft, aggravated fleeing and eluding, resisting an officer without violence, and leaving the scene of a crash involving an injury.
Logan was booked into the Miami-Dade jail.
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