Taylon Nichelle Celestine faces charges for a shooting on a freeway that wounded two people. (Shot car photo from Florida Highway Patrol; Mug shot from Holmes County Sheriff’s Office)
A woman who told motel staff in Florida during checkout that she was “directed by ‘God’ in relation to the solar eclipse” to go on a shooting spree did just that, wounding two people and getting herself arrested, authorities said.
Taylon Nichelle Celestine, 22, of Georgia, was booked into the Holmes County Jail on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and improper discharge of a firearm, authorities said in a news release.
The shootings happened on Monday. The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a local motel saying a woman, later identified as Celestine, was armed with a rifle and a handgun, officials said. Holmes County is in Florida’s panhandle.
In a purple Dodge Challenger with Georgia plates, she allegedly entered Interstate 10 at the 112-mile marker and traveled west. She drove about five miles before firing multiple shots into another vehicle that had been traveling on the interstate, striking the car multiple times, authorities said.
The driver was hit by glass fragments and grazed on the arm by a bullet, officials said. He managed to steer onto the shoulder of the road and away from the suspect, who continued driving west on I-10, police said.
Near the 107-mile marker, the suspect fired again, hitting a driver in the neck, authorities said.
Celestine was eventually caught as calls came out about someone shooting into other vehicles on the interstate, officials said.
A trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol saw the purple Challenger get off the interstate in Ponce de Leon and drive toward a rest stop.
The car made a U-turn to try to get back on the interstate when a trooper pulled her over and took her into custody. In the Challenger, police found an AR-15 and a 9 mm pistol, officials said.
Investigators and deputies were called out to canvass the area of I-10 between Bonifay and Ponce de Leon to find any other possible victims. Two ultimately were hurt. One was treated and released and the other received medical attention, officials said.
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