Taylor Nichelle Celestine, 22, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and improper discharge of a firearm, after Florida Highway Patrol said she shot and injured two people while driving on Interstate 10 in Florida’s panhandle. Celestine blamed ‘God’ and the solar eclipse. Photo courtesy of the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office
April 8 (UPI) — A Georgia woman blamed Monday’s solar eclipse and “God’ for allegedly embarking on a highway shooting spree in Florida that injured two people.
Taylor Nichelle Celestine, 22, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and improper discharge of a firearm.
Celestine allegedly told staff at a hotel where she checked out, that she was going to go on a shooting spree because she had been “directed by God” and the solar eclipse.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Celestine drove her purple Dodge Challenger with Georgia plates onto Interstate 10 in Florida’s panhandle and fired multiple shots from a rifle, striking a vehicle.
“The driver was struck by glass fragments from the window and grazed on the arm by a bullet,” FHP said in a statement. “He was able to steer his vehicle onto the shoulder of the road, away from the suspect.”
Celestine allegedly shot at a second vehicle, hitting the driver in the neck. That driver was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated.
Troopers, who managed to stop Celestine’s vehicle and take her into custody, said they found an AR-15 and a 9mm handgun inside her car.
Celestine is currently being held at the Holmes County Jail.