A Florida teenager led a state trooper on a wrong-way chase through traffic Friday evening before making what may be the most courteous getaway attempt in recent memory. Emorie Hamilton, 18, of Sarasota, was spotted by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper who was already responding to a separate call around 6:20 p.m. on Sun City Center Boulevard in Hillsborough County. The trooper noticed Hamilton’s Kia speeding, weaving through traffic, and using the shoulder to pass other drivers — not exactly subtle behavior when a trooper happens to be nearby.
With lights and sirens activated, the trooper caught up to Hamilton, but she kept going. After an unsuccessful PIT maneuver, Hamilton crossed the paved median and began driving eastbound in the westbound lanes — a move that put oncoming drivers in a very uncomfortable position. Dashcam footage from the pursuit shows at least one driver swerving out of her path to avoid a head-on collision.
The chase came to an end when Hamilton turned into a hospital parking lot, where the trooper was able to block her vehicle. And here’s the detail that will live rent-free in your head: despite driving the wrong way down a public road at speed, Hamilton used her blinker to signal the turn. Traffic laws: apparently optional, except for that one…