Suspect arrested after robbing woman and car while leaving Publix

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A suspect was apprehended Thursday after violently robbing a woman and stealing her car as she left a Publix, deputies said.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said the woman was confronted by a man at a Publix on Cove Road who grabbed her belongings and fled in his vehicle.

Deputies were able to locate the vehicle along Bridge Road, west of US Highway 1, where a PIT maneuver was performed, disabling the car.

“It caused that vehicle to lose control and slide and come into contact with this large pine tree behind me,” Martin County Chief Deputy John Budensiek said. “Actually, he hit the root of that tree first.”

The suspect, who police say is not from the area, was taken into custody.

It’s unclear what charges he might face. Authorities have not released his name.