A stolen semi that was chased from Palm Beach County into Martin and then Okeechobee counties was finally brought to a stop in Highlands County last night.
At around 11:25 p.m., the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the pursuit by the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office as the semi, which had reportedly been involved in an aggravated assault in Riviera Beach after being stolen, was heading west on State Road 70 from their county into ours. At that point, the semi was already driving with at least one tire damaged from a stop-stick deployment.
HCSO deputies pursued the semi down SR 70, deploying stop sticks twice, before the truck made it to the intersection of SR 70 and US 27. The truck first pulled into the Circle K gas station before pulling out onto US 27 and then going a short distance south and pulling into the BP station, where the pursuit ended.
The driver, 54-year-old Maury Keith Skinner of West Palm Beach, was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, resisting arrest, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Two passengers in the semi, 33-year-old Jenard Lamar Icon of West Palm Beach and 34-year-old Mikeria Phillandria Wells of Riviera Beach, were both charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Note: Not all arrests result in convictions. Everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty in court.
