Holmes Beach police arrested St. Petersburg resident Brandon Rhodes, 34, May 1 on two third-degree felonies for fleeing to elude law enforcement and theft of a motor vehicle.
Rhodes also was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor for knowingly driving on a suspended license.
A Holmes Beach police officer responded around 5 p.m. to reports of a stolen car at Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, and spoke with the vehicle’s owner, who had an Apple AirTag on his keys, which enabled him to track the vehicle as it headed south on Gulf Drive.
The officer contacted the Longboat Key Police Department about the stolen vehicle and they responded they had located the motorist and were in pursuit.
The vehicle came to a stop around the 4300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key, where Holmes Beach police brought the vehicle’s owner, who filed a complaint.
The officers arrested Rhodes, who was transported to the Manatee County jail, where he remained in custody as of May 7 under a $5,150 bond.
Punishment for a third-degree felony charge can include up to five years in prison.
Punishment for a second-degree misdemeanor can include up to 60 days in jail.
An arraignment will be at 9 a.m. Friday, June 13, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.