Three in custody after chase, crashes in northeast Hillsborough

THONOTOSASSA — Three people are in custody after a chase damaged two cars — one of them a cruiser — and a fence, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

Deputies tried to pull over a Chevrolet Suburban near Stafford and Branch Forbes roads at 1:48 p.m., according to the Sheriff's Office. They had heard the driver didn't have a license and possibly was armed.

The Suburban didn't stop and hit the rear passenger side of the deputy's cruiser, the Sheriff's Office said. As the deputies gave chase, the Suburban sideswiped another car while trying to make a right turn onto Pless Road from westbound Knights Griffin Road.

About a mile north of the second accident, the SUV ran into a fence, causing $200 worth of damage. Deputies say the driver bailed and two passengers stayed inside as deputies approached. The driver was quickly caught, and all three were taken in for questioning, deputies said.

No one was seriously injured. The Suburban caused $2,000 in damage to the vehicle hit on Pless Road, deputies said.