Tampa police chased her back to St. Petersburg where her car collided with a post at a CVS drug store, officers said.

ST. PETERSBURG – A Brandon woman has been charged with armed robbery after she put a knife to a cashier’s neck, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Ashley Marie Ramirez, 28, of 528 Camino Rio Court in Brandon, was charged with armed robbery, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, possession of a controlled substance (hydromorphone), and possession of drug paraphernalia by St. Petersburg police. Tampa police will likely file additional charges. She was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Thursday (Sept. 1).

St. Pete police said Ramirez walked into the CVS at 8001 Dr. MLK St. N about 1:48 a.m. Thursday and bought a candy bar. When the cashier opened the cash register, Ramirez put a knife to the cashier’s neck, grabbed some money and fled in a white car.

About two hours later, a similar armed robbery happened in Tampa at the Circle K, 4801 W Gandy Blvd. Tampa police officers spotted the white suspect car and followed it into St. Petersburg across the Gandy Bridge. The white car, driven by Ashley Ramirez, attempted to flee from the Tampa officers and drove back to the parking lot of the CVS at 8001 Dr. MLK St. N. Once in the parking lot of the CVS, police said Ramirez jumped out of the moving white Pontiac and ran inside the CVS. Ramirez’s car rolled into a pillar in front of the CVS. Tampa officers ran after Ramirez and took her into custody.

For information about St. Petersburg police, go to police.stpete.org.

St. Petersburg Police | Tampa Police | Armed Robbery | Crime | Arrests | TB Reporter

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