Two wounded after woman tells Florida motel she’s going on shooting spree, cops say

Mark Price
·2 min read
12

Two drivers were injured when a woman began randomly shooting at passing cars on a stretch of Interstate 10 in the Florida Panhandle, investigators say.

Both victims are expected to survive, including one who was shot in the neck, the Florida Highway Patrol reported in a news release. Their identities have not been released.

A 22-year-old suspect is in custody and faces an attempted murder charge, officials said.

The shootings occurred Monday, April 8, in Washington County, about a 105-mile drive west from Tallahassee.

“Holmes County Communications received a call from a local motel stating (a woman) armed with a rifle and a handgun checked out and told employees that she was God and was going on a shooting spree,” the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

“Shortly after, reports were made to Washington County Communications that a subject on the interstate was shooting into other vehicles.”

The suspect fired multiple shots into this vehicle while traveling on Interstate 10 in Washington County, Florida, officials say.
The suspect fired multiple shots into this vehicle while traveling on Interstate 10 in Washington County, Florida, officials say.

Gunfire struck one car multiple times, showering the driver with broken glass and grazing an arm with a bullet, officials said. He was able to “steer his vehicle onto the shoulder of the road, away from the suspect,” the highway patrol reported.

“Continuing westbound on I-10, the suspect shot at another vehicle near the 107-mile marker, hitting the driver in the neck. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital and is currently receiving treatment,” officials said.

Troopers located the suspect’s purple Dodge Challenger, which had Georgia license plates, 10 miles away at a rest area and initiated a traffic stop as the driver was trying to get back onto the interstate, officials said.

Taylon Nichelle Celestine was arrested “without incident,” officials said.

“After the suspect was taken into custody, troopers recovered an AR-15 and a 9mm handgun within the purple Challenger,” officials said.

Investigators have not released details of a motive.

Celestine has been charged with:

  • Attempted murder

  • Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon

  • Improper discharge of firearm

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