Felon Crashes Stolen Car Into School Bus Fleeing Deputies

A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy is recovering after a suspect with 11 prior felony convictions crashed into a school bus carrying 41 middle school students while fleeing deputies Wednesday afternoon. Tonnetta Evans, 54, was arrested following the incident.

Deputies initiated a traffic stop on a silver Kia Forte on Hillsborough Avenue West near Dale Mabry Highway North at 4:36 p.m. Sept. 23, 2026. As deputies developed probable cause to search the vehicle and attempted to remove Evans, the sole occupant, she reportedly became uncooperative. Evans put the vehicle in drive and fled eastbound on Hillsborough Avenue West with a deputy partially inside.

Before a pursuit could be formally initiated, Evans collided with a school bus carrying 41 Pierce Middle School students, the bus driver and a bus aide. No students sustained injuries, and the bus suffered minor damage. Students transferred to another bus and were safely transported home.

Authorities apprehended Evans at the Howard Avenue and Armenia Avenue ramp to southbound I-275. A search of her vehicle uncovered a pipe bomb, brass knuckles, a TASER, a bandolier of shotgun shells, three identification cards and four credit cards belonging to other individuals, $1,100 in counterfeit $100 bills, silver half-dollars and coins, methamphetamine, marijuana and multiple prescription pills. The Kia Forte had been reported stolen out of Kentucky in 2022.

Evans faces more than a dozen charges, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, armed possession of methamphetamine, aggravated fleeing to elude and leaving the scene of a crash involving a school bus. She also faces charges from a Kentucky warrant for possession of a controlled substance and theft of identity.

"This suspect showed a complete disregard for the safety of our deputy, other motorists and the children of our community, and we are extremely fortunate that no one was seriously hurt," Sheriff Chad Chronister stated.