Woman acting 'bizarre' ahead of fatal crash with Marion County Sheriff's Office SUV

A woman who authorities said stole a Marion County Sheriff's Office deputy's vehicle, drove recklessly on a busy roadway while being pursued by other deputies, and eventually crashed, killing herself and two others, had a series of strange episodes leading up to the incident.

The fatal crash on Feb. 1 occurred after deputies responded to a 911 call about a woman "acting bizarre and attempting to enter vehicles in the parking lot" of a Winn-Dixie plaza.

April Smith, according to the MCSO report, told the dispatcher that she was "already leery of the suspect and observed her approach a lady's vehicle."

Smith said the woman, later identified as Kendra Dalyn Boone, 33, was yelling that she "needed a ride," according to the report. Smith said she saw Boone reach into someone's vehicle and grab the person sitting in the driver's seat. Smith said she shouted at Boone, which caused her to turn around, and the person in the vehicle was able to shut and lock the door.

Smith said Boone went from vehicle to vehicle, trying to open doors.

Stolen sheriff's vehicle: Sheriff blasts 'moron' who stole, crashed deputy's vehicle, killing herself and two others

Courtney Rivera-Hernandez, the person who was sitting in the vehicle that was grabbed by Boone, told a deputy she was walking toward her vehicle when she saw Boone. Rivera-Hernandez said Boone, who she thought was homeless, was yelling that "she needed to get out of here."

The woman said Boone prevented her from closing the car door, and that she reached inside the vehicle in an attempt to take the keys. She said they struggled for 30 to 45 seconds before Boone backed off. Boone then tried to enter through the passenger-side door, before giving up and walking toward State Road 40. Rivera-Hernandez then called 911 to report the incident.

Deputies Chris Witte and Cheyanne Barnes went to the Winn-Dixie on State Road 40 to investigate the 911 calls. After making contact with Boone, Deputy Witte exited his vehicle. Boone then approached the passenger side and entered the vehicle through a lowered window. Witte attempted to remove Boone from the vehicle, but she was able to drive away with the vehicle's lights and siren activated.

Deputy Barnes followed the stolen vehicle east on State Road 40.

"The stolen vehicle was crossing into on-coming traffic, and traveling at speeds over 100 miles per hour," according to Barnes' report.

Boone made multiple U-turns on the roadway and was able to avoid stop sticks placed on the pavement. Approaching the 26700 block of the roadway, Barnes said a semi was in front of the stolen vehicle. After losing sight of the patrol car, Barnes eventually found the vehicle damaged on the north side of State Road 40.

Barnes, joined by several deputies, went to the crash site and noticed a second vehicle, an older model GMC Sierra pickup truck in the tree line. The stolen patrol vehicle was on fire, and occupants in the pickup truck did not respond to deputies' calls.

After learning about the crash on the news, Ricky Baker, a retired first responder from Broward County, contacted law enforcement to say that he had given Boone a ride to the Winn-Dixie plaza before the vehicle theft.

He said he was driving along the 5600 block of County Road 314A, when Boone ran from the tree line yelling for help. Baker told the deputy he believed Boone needed help and stopped. He said Boone came to the window, yelling "She needed to get out of there."

Baker told the woman he would give her a ride to the grocery store, "But that was all he would help with," according to the report. Arriving in the grocery store parking lot, Baker said he tried to drop her off, but Boone refused to get out of the vehicle. This went on for several minutes before Boone exited the vehicle and Baker drove away.

Boone, who died in the crash, was identified as the person in the stolen vehicle by Witte from body cameras and in-car videos downloaded by deputies involved in the incident so they could be sent to the Florida Highway Patrol.

There were three people in the pickup truck. They were identified as Richard Earl Middleton, 73, of South Carolina, his brother Russell Verne Middleton, 74, of Silver Springs, and Diane Lynn Held, 72, also from South Carolina.

Richard Middleton, who was driving the truck, and Held both died in the crash. Russell Middleton was taken to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital where as of Thursday was still hospitalized.

FHP officials said the stolen deputy's vehicle reached a top speed of 127 mph. At the time of the crash, the vehicle's speed was 111 mph. Troopers are continuing with their investigation.

The Boone family denied an interview request from a Star-Banner reporter.

In the neighborhood, Boone was known as a person who had children and was trying to get her life on track.

Eli Small, a manager at Scrambletown Country Store, which is near her family residence, told a Star-Banner reporter he had seen her the day before the crash. He said he was surprised when he heard the news.

"I thought she was doing alright," he said.

Records indicate Boone had been taken into custody three times. Once for trespassing, once for a probation violation from another county, and a third time for trespassing and fleeing and eluding law enforcement officials.

She spent time in prison for fleeing and eluding and burglary. She was released in October 2023. Before, Boone had spent time in prison for attempted robbery, grand theft and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

— Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion County Sheriff's Office vehicle stolen involved in fatal crash