HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLA. — An 11-time convicted felon was arrested again on Wednesday after she fled a traffic stop with a Hillsborough County deputy partially inside her vehicle, officials said.
Tonnetta Evans, 54, who also struck a school bus carrying 41 middle school students while fleeing, was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, aggravated fleeing to elude and battery on a law enforcement officer, a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office report stated.
At 4:36 p.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver Kia Forte on Hillsborough Avenue West, just west of Dale Mabry Highway North.
During the stop, deputies developed probable cause to search the vehicle and attempted to remove Evans. However, she placed it in drive and fled eastbound on Hillsborough Avenue West with a deputy partially inside the vehicle, HCSO officials said.
Immediately after fleeing, she struck a school bus carrying 41 Pierce Middle School students, the bus driver, and a bus aide. No students were injured, and the bus sustained minor damage. The students were transferred to another bus and transported home.
Evans was taken into custody at the Howard Avenue and Armenia Avenue ramp to southbound Interstate 275.
A search of the vehicle yielded the following items:
- Pipe bomb/explosive device
- Brass knuckles and a TASER
- Bandolier of shotgun shells
- Three identification cards belonging to other individuals
- Four credit cards belonging to other individuals
- Counterfeit $100 bills totaling $1,100
- Silver half-dollars and coins
- Methamphetamine, marijuana, and multiple prescription pills
As part of the investigation, deputies learned the vehicle Evans was driving had been reported stolen out of Kentucky in 2022.
Evans also was charged with armed possession of methamphetamine; felon in possession of ammunition; felon in possession of an electric weapon or device; false name to a law enforcement officer; possession of cannabis less than 20 grams; possession of drug paraphernalia; three counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription; unlawful possession of the personal identification of another (5 or more); tampering with physical evidence; attaching a tag not assigned; and leaving the scene of a crash involving a school bus (hit and run).
"This suspect showed a complete disregard for the safety of our deputy, other motorists and the children of our community, and we are extremely fortunate that no one was seriously hurt," said Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Thanks to the quick actions of our deputies, a dangerous career criminal who was driving around with a pipe bomb in her car is now off our streets."
Evans was also arrested on a Kentucky failure to appear warrant for possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and theft of identity of another without consent.
Evans is a three-time Indiana State Prison releasee, a nine-time convicted felon in Indiana, and a two-time convicted felon in Kentucky, the HCSO report stated.
Her criminal history in both states includes multiple charges, including escape, burglary, burglary of a vehicle, theft of identity of another without consent, and possession of narcotics.
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