A Florida drive-by shooting chase began with a stolen Hyundai and ended after three teen suspects fled police, jumped from a bridge, and faced deadly consequences.

Florida Drive-By Shooting Chase Ends After Teens Jump Off Bridge

The Florida drive-by shooting chase began as a stolen car call.

Minutes later, it turned into a shooting investigation.

Then it became a high-speed police chase.

And by the end, three young suspects had jumped from a bridge in a desperate attempt to escape, one woman was fighting for her life after being shot in the neck, one suspect was dead, and another would eventually receive a life sentence.

On June 24, 2024, deputies in Escambia County were already looking for a stolen white Hyundai Elantra. At first, it looked like a routine stolen vehicle case. But then another emergency call came in from Aerys Boulevard. A 70-year-old woman named Myra Hayes had been shot while sitting outside with family. Witnesses could only give one clear description: the shooters were in a white car.

That detail connected everything.

The stolen Hyundai was no longer just a stolen car.

It was now tied to a violent drive-by shooting.

Florida Drive-By Shooting Chase Begins With a Stolen Hyundai

Before the shooting call, deputies had already received information about a stolen white Hyundai Elantra moving through the area. Officers were on alert, watching for the vehicle.

Then the radio traffic changed.

A shooting had just happened nearby.

Deputies rushed to Aerys Boulevard and found Myra Hayes lying in the yard with severe injuries. Officers immediately began applying pressure and trying to keep her conscious while also asking witnesses what happened.

The scene was chaotic.

Family members were panicking.

Officers were trying to give medical aid.

Witnesses were trying to explain what they saw.

But the most important detail came through repeatedly: a white car had driven by, shots were fired, and the car fled the area.

That was the same type of vehicle deputies were already looking for.

Myra Hayes Was Shot While Sitting Outside

The most disturbing part of the Florida drive-by shooting chase was how random the first scene appeared.

Myra Hayes was not running from anyone.

She was not involved in a police chase.

She was outside with family when bullets came into the yard.

Officers found her with a serious gunshot wound, including one to the neck. They worked quickly to keep pressure on the wound, clear space around her, and keep her talking until medical help could take over.

One officer asked who shot her.

The answer was not clear.

Witnesses did not know the shooters.

They did not have a full suspect description.

They only knew the car was white.

That single clue would become the bridge between the victim scene and the stolen Hyundai.

Deputies Spot the White Car Less Than a Mile Away

Within minutes, deputies spotted the stolen white Hyundai less than a mile from the shooting scene. That timing was critical.

The car matched the witness description.

It was close to where the shooting happened.

And officers already knew it had been reported stolen.

Deputies tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver did not pull over.

Instead, the suspects fled.

What started as a stolen vehicle stop instantly turned into a high-speed pursuit. According to the transcript, the suspects drove recklessly at speeds over 100 mph while multiple units joined the chase.

This is where the danger multiplied.

The victim had already been shot.

Now the suspects were racing through traffic, creating a second threat to everyone on the road.

The Chase Ends Near Escambia River Bridge

The pursuit eventually reached the area near the Escambia River Bridge.

Deputies performed a PIT maneuver, stopping the stolen Hyundai. At that moment, the suspects had a choice.

They could surrender.

Instead, all three got out and ran.

Officers gave commands. A K9 was present. Deputies warned them to stop.

But the suspects kept running toward the bridge.

Then they made the decision that would define the entire case.

They jumped.

Despite police warnings, all three suspects leapt off the bridge into the water below.

It was a desperate move.

It was also a deadly one.

Officers Launch a Search by Boat, Drone, and Ground Units

After the suspects jumped, the chase became a rescue and search operation.

Officers had to locate armed suspects who may have landed in the water, brush, mud, or shallow areas near the bridge. Units coordinated from above and below. A drone was launched. Boats entered the water. Ground officers searched access roads and brush lines.

One suspect was spotted in the water and brush.

Officers ordered him to stand up, walk out, and keep his hands visible. They warned him that the K9 would be sent if he refused.

Eventually, one suspect, later identified as Jaquarus Ethridge, was located in the water and taken into custody. Officers searched him and checked the area for weapons.

But two others were still unaccounted for.

One Suspect Dies After Jumping From the Bridge

The second suspect, Trevian Motton, did not survive the jump.

According to the script, Motton died from injuries after impacting below the bridge. That moment shows how reckless the escape attempt had become.

The suspects had already been tied to a shooting.

They had fled at high speed.

They had run from a stopped stolen car.

Then they jumped from a bridge instead of surrendering.

The decision did not help them escape.

It only made the consequences worse.

Terrence Gross Jr. Disappears After the Jump

The third suspect, Terrence Gross Jr., disappeared after jumping from the bridge.

Officers searched for him using boats, drones, and ground units, but he was nowhere to be found at first. The search stretched on as investigators tried to determine where he could have gone after entering the water.

Meanwhile, Ethridge was taken in for questioning.

At first, he lied about who was involved.

But later, he admitted the truth: it was three of them in the car, all armed, and they had gone to Aerys Boulevard with the intent to carry out a targeted shooting in retaliation for a prior incident.

That statement changed the case.

This was not just reckless gunfire.

Investigators believed it was a planned retaliation shooting.

But they hit the wrong person.

Terrence Gross Jr. Is Found in Texas

Gross did not stay hidden forever.

Authorities later tracked him to Texas, where he had reportedly shown up at a hospital with injuries. According to the script, he was also preparing to escape into Mexico before being taken into custody and extradited back to Florida.

That detail made the case even more serious.

Gross was not simply missing after the jump.

He had made it across state lines.

He had injuries.

And authorities believed he was trying to get out of the country.

Eventually, he was brought back to Florida to face charges.

Court Evidence Shows a Clear Chain of Events

In court, prosecutors presented the case as a chain of reckless and violent decisions.

A stolen Hyundai.

A drive-by shooting.

A 70-year-old woman shot in her own yard.

A police chase over 100 mph.

A PIT maneuver.

Three suspects running from the car.

A bridge jump.

One suspect dead.

Another arrested in the water.

A third later captured in Texas.

According to the script, Terrence Gross Jr. was found guilty of first-degree murder, shooting into a dwelling, and fleeing law enforcement. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 30 years. Ethridge was also charged with first-degree premeditated murder and was still awaiting trial at the time described in the script.

As with any pending case, Ethridge is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Why This Florida Drive-By Shooting Chase Hit So Hard

This case stands out because it escalated at every stage.

A stolen car became a shooting suspect vehicle.

A shooting became a police pursuit.

A pursuit became a bridge jump.

A bridge jump became a fatal injury for one suspect and a massive search for the others.

And behind all of it was Myra Hayes, a 70-year-old woman who was shot while sitting outside.

That is what makes the case so disturbing.

The suspects may have been trying to retaliate against someone else, but the person hit was an elderly woman in her own yard. The violence spilled into a neighborhood and left an innocent person injured.

Then, instead of stopping, the suspects ran.

The Biggest Mistake Was Thinking Escape Was Still Possible

The suspects were in a stolen white Hyundai that matched the shooting description.

Deputies were already looking for the car.

They were spotted less than a mile from the scene.

The chase was active.

Multiple units were involved.

At that point, escape was already unlikely.

But the suspects kept making decisions that made everything worse. They fled at extreme speeds. They ran from the car. They ignored commands. They jumped from a bridge.

That is the part that makes this case feel almost unreal.

Every choice after the shooting narrowed their chances and increased the damage.

The Florida drive-by shooting chase began with a stolen Hyundai and a call about a white car.

It ended with one elderly woman shot, one suspect dead, one suspect captured in the water, and another eventually sentenced to life in prison.

This case shows how fast a violent plan can collapse.

The suspects allegedly went to Aerys Boulevard for retaliation.

They did not get away.

They did not control the outcome.

And by the time they jumped from the bridge, the consequences had already caught up with them.

Do you think the suspects panicked when they jumped from the bridge, or was that final decision just another reckless move after the shooting and chase?