TAMPA, FL. (THECOUNT) — Tonnetta Evans, 54, an 11-time convicted felon, was arrested Wednesday after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop with a Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy partially inside her vehicle and crashing into a school bus carrying 41 middle school students in Tampa, Florida.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:36 p.m. September 23 on Hillsborough Avenue West, just west of North Dale Mabry Highway, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
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Deputies had developed probable cause to search the silver Kia Forte Evans was driving and attempted to remove her from the vehicle. Authorities said Evans was uncooperative before placing the vehicle in drive and fleeing eastbound with a deputy partially inside.
Shortly after fleeing, Evans struck a school bus carrying students from Pierce Middle School, along with 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.
Deputies later took Evans into custody near the Howard Avenue and Armenia Avenue ramp to southbound Interstate 275.
A search of the Kia allegedly uncovered a pipe bomb or explosive device, brass knuckles, a TASER, a bandolier of shotgun shells, three identification cards belonging to other people, and four credit cards belonging to other individuals.
Tonnetta Evans, an 11-time convicted female felon with a pipe bomb in her car was taken into custody after fleeing a traffic stop with a deputy partially inside her vehicle. She then hit a Florida school bus carrying 41 middle school students.
Evans, 54, became “uncooperative”… pic.twitter.com/xbYDniryBn
— THECOUNT.com ™ © (@THECOUNTnews) September 24, 2026
Investigators also reported finding counterfeit $100 bills totaling $1,100, silver half-dollars and other coins, methamphetamine, marijuana, and multiple prescription pills. The vehicle was subsequently determined to have been reported stolen in Kentucky in 2022.
Evans faces numerous charges, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, armed possession of methamphetamine, aggravated fleeing to elude, battery on a law enforcement officer, and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Additional charges include felon in possession of an electric weapon or device, providing a false name to a law enforcement officer, possession of cannabis weighing less than 20 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, and three counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
Evans was also charged with unlawful possession of another person’s personal identification involving five or more documents, tampering with physical evidence, attaching a tag not assigned to the vehicle, and leaving the scene of a crash involving a school bus.
Authorities said Evans was separately arrested on a Kentucky failure-to-appear warrant related to possession of methamphetamine and theft of another person’s identity without consent.
According to the sheriff’s office, Evans has nine felony convictions in Indiana and two in Kentucky. She is also a three-time Indiana State Prison releasee. Her criminal history includes cases involving escape, burglary, burglary of a vehicle, identity theft, and narcotics possession.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said the incident could have resulted in serious injuries to the deputy, motorists, and students.
“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,” Chronister said. “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.”
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active. Authorities had not announced additional details regarding the explosive device or released Evans’ booking photograph at the time of the report.
The incident occurred along Hillsborough Avenue West in Tampa, in Hillsborough County’s west-central area near the North Dale Mabry Highway corridor. The reported arrest location was near the Howard Avenue and Armenia Avenue interchange with southbound Interstate 275.
Google Maps: Approximate location of the traffic stop and school bus collision in Tampa, Florida
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