VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A woman who was shot by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper last week has been arrested and will face felony charges, accused of dangerously speeding in a vehicle toward the trooper who opened fire, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Jacqueline Blank, 37, was hospitalized after being shot by the trooper around 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 25 near Palm Coast.
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She had allegedly driven away from a traffic stop and was pursued. The Florida Highway Patrol says she was cornered on a dead-end street near 16th Road and Ocean Crest Drive before accelerating her vehicle in a trooper’s direction.
FLHSMV said in a news release that the woman’s actions prompted the trooper to shoot her “in a successful attempt to immobilize the deadly threat.” Neither the trooper nor a female passenger in the suspect car were injured, FHP said.
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According to the release, Blank was released from the hospital on Thursday, arrested by FHP and booked at the Volusia County Jail to face the following charges:
- Aggravated battery on a police officer – three counts
- Aggravated fleeing and eluding
- Reckless driving damage to person or property
- Felony criminal mischief
- Resisting with violence
- Driving without a valid driver’s license
Additional charges are being reviewed, according to FLHSMV.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently investigating the use of force to provide information to the state attorney. FHP is conducting an internal investigation as well, the release states.
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