ST. PETERSBURG, FL – A local woman, Brittany Bianchi, 31, faces multiple charges after a high-speed chase with law enforcement late Saturday night. Bianchi was reportedly driving at an alarming speed of 120 mph in a 55 mph zone on the Gandy Bridge in St. Petersburg. When finally halted by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), she is said to have aggressively resisted arrest, injuring a trooper with her fingernails.
Around 8:30 p.m., Bianchi was spotted speeding in a Mercedes sedan. When the trooper attempted to arrest her on suspicion of driving under the influence, she reportedly became hostile, using her fingernails as a weapon against the officer.
The ramifications of this event are particularly severe for Bianchi as this marks her third DUI offense within a decade. Following the incident, the charges against her include resisting an officer with violence, battery on law enforcement, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, speeding, and not carrying insurance.
Bianchi’s defiance didn’t end with the chase. After the arrest, FHP released video footage from the scene where Bianchi can be clearly heard berating the troopers, confidently declaring that none of the charges would stand in court. Following her arrest, she was held at the Pinellas County Jail with bond set at $17,800. She was subsequently released on Sunday morning.