St. Petersburg police responded to a residence in the 400 block of 9th Avenue NE at 4:00 p.m. after a 9-1-1 call regarding a man taking packages from the front porch. That’s when 23-year-old Derick Markis Corbett jumped in a car occupied by 21-year-old Casandra Sue-Lynn Cole and the pair sped off.
A few moments later, the suspect car was involved in an accident at 5th Avenue N and 1st Street. Police say immediately after the accident, Corbett and Cole fled on foot with a baby with a visible head injury.
Officers converged on the area and found the two suspects and the infant hiding in some vegetation in the 200 block of 5th Avenue North. When confronted by officers, Corbett held the infant out in front of him as if to use it as a shield against the officers. The infant was removed from Corbett and he and Cole were arrested without further resistance.
The suspects and the infant have been taken to the hospital for treatment. Officers did report that the infant did have a significant head laceration when found.
All three are still being treated at the hospital. The male suspect is listed as a trauma alert with a head injury, but it does not appear that Cole or the infant have life threatening injuries at this time.
It is anticipated that Corbett and Cole will be charged with burglary, possible from a number of locations as packages from several different addresses were located in the car. Also charges regarding child endangerment will be filed. Corbett, who was driving, will be also be charged with fleeing and eluding, no valid driver’s license and leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries.
