Skip to main content
Clear icon
55º

PCSO: Woman arrested after stealing truck, leading deputies on wild chase

Rachel Yvonne Baggs was considered armed and dangerous

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – A woman accused of threatening family members with a stolen gun, stealing a truck and driving it into a Putnam County home and leading deputies on a high-speed chase across two counties early Sunday morning was arrested in Marion County. 

According to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, Rachel Yvonne Baggs, 43, stole a 2017 Ford truck from a family member around 4 a.m. on Sunday. The truck had a loaded handgun inside.

A short time later, the Sheriff's Office said, Baggs confronted a different family member at a different location and threatened them with the stolen gun during an argument. While the Sheriff's Office was searching for Baggs, a third call came into the Putnam County Emergency Communications Center. This time it was a former lover of Baggs, who said Baggs drove the stolen truck into their house. 

Deputies spotted Baggs a few hours later and she refused to stop, according to the Sheriff's Office. She sped off at up to 100 mph on County Road 315, according to the Sheriff's Office, and forced a vehicle off the road south in Interlachen, which resulted in minor injuries to the occupants. 

The chase eventually crossed into Marion County where the Marion County Sheriff's Office jumped in. Baggs soon crashed the truck into a wooded area near Citra and ran off. Marion County deputies reported hearing gunfire as Baggs ran from the crashed vehicle, but no law enforcement officers were injured, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. 

Putnam and Alachua County deputies were helping the Marion County Sheriff's Office in the search for Baggs, who was considered armed and dangerous. Baggs was arrested Sunday evening. 


Recommended Videos