Trooper Use PIT Maneuver To Stop Wrong Way Driver During Chase

Tampa, Florida - On Monday, August 14, 2023, around 1:04 a.m., Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Troopers received information that a dark in color sedan was traveling southbound in the northbound lane of State Road 589 near mile marker four. As FHP responded, Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) advised they located a vehicle matching the description and were attempting to conduct a traffic stop; the vehicle then fled, leaving the Deputies to follow while providing location updates.  Responding Troopers then observed a vehicle with the same description traveling east on State Road 580 approaching the intersection of North Armenia Avenue. The car appeared to be smoking, and the front tires were falling off; the vehicle’s driving pattern was unstable and indicative of driver impairment. Troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop using lights and sirens; however, the vehicle took evasive action and tried to flee. 

After using a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver to stop the vehicle, the driver refused to exit and was removed from the car and placed in handcuffs.  While questioning the driver, he first provided a false name before troopers could verify his name and date of birth through his driver’s license. The driver was identified as Billy Wayne Spencer of Tampa, Florida. The driver, identified as Billy Wayne Spencer of Tampa, Florida, had a strong smell of alcohol emanating from him, which only grew stronger as he spoke. His eyes were also bloodshot and glassy. Upon asking Spencer if he would participate in a standard field sobriety test, he refused. Spencer also declined to provide a breath sample or answer any further questions. Noting the refusal, Troopers transported the driver to Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County. During the intake process, 19 20-dollar bills identified as counterfeit were found in the driver’s property.

Billy Wayne Spencer is charged with the following:

• Resisting Officer without Violence, Misdemeanor
• False Name to a Law Enforcement Officer, Misdemeanor
• Possession of Ten or More Counterfeit Bills, Felony
• Driving Under the Influence, Misdemeanor
• Refusal to Submit to Testing, Misdemeanor
• Felony Fleeing to Elude, Felony