Florida woman claims God told her to shoot drivers because of eclipse: police
A woman was arrested Monday in Florida for allegedly shooting at motorists on the interstate, which she reportedly claimed was at God's direction because of the solar eclipse.
Taylon Nichelle Celestine, 22, shot randomly at drivers on Interstate 10 in Holmes County while careening down the highway in a purple Dodge Challenger with Georgia plates, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Within 5 miles of getting onto the interstate approximately 115 miles from the Alabama border, Celestine grazed one motorist when she fired multiple shots into the victim's window, police said.
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The victim, who was also struck with glass from the shattered window, was able to steer away from Celestine by moving to the shoulder of the highway.
As she drove west, Celestine allegedly shot another driver in the neck, who was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital, where the victim was treated for injuries.
Responding to reports of an active shooter, Florida Highway Patrol troopers said they conducted a felony traffic stop at around the 96-mile mark, where they conducted a search of Celestine's car and found a 9mm handgun and an AR-15.
Celestine was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Holmes County Jail, where she was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and improper discharge of a firearm, according to police.
Authorities later learned that as she was checking out of a local hotel, Celestine told staff that she was about to embark on a shooting spree because God told her to in relation to Monday's solar eclipse.
The Florida Highway Patrol Bureau of Investigations and Intelligence (BCII) is conducting an ongoing investigation.
Florida was not in the eclipse's path of totality Monday, though people in the state could see a partial eclipse. Experts did not warn of an increased crime risk because of the eclipse, but cautioned that it could lead to an increase in fatal car crashes, according to CBS News.
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to [email protected]
