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Pair Dubbed "Bonnie And Clyde" Await First Appearance In Court

POSTED: 3:47 pm EDT May 8, 2008
UPDATED: 11:51 am EDT May 9, 2008

A couple dubbed "Bonnie and Clyde" was sitting in the Orange County jail, expected to make a first appearance in court Friday morning. Andrew Gaskell and his girlfriend, Erika Hein, are accused of a crime spree that hit Orange and Seminole counties.

Investigators had been looking for the pair for several months in connection with crimes in Orange and Seminole counties. Deputies caught up with them in a stolen Mazda from the AutoMax dealership on Goldenrod Road. The pursuit ended after almost an hour-and-a-half when the suspects, 29-year-old Andrew Gaskell and 37-year-old Erika Hein, bailed out of the vehicle and one was hit by a deputy who fired his Taser.


FIRST APPEARANCE: Chase Suspect Makes 1st Court Appearance
SLIDESHOWS: Images From Pursuit | Suspect Tasered | Ground Images
PLAY-BY-PLAY: Sheriff's Helicopter Tracks Suspects During Chase
MUG SHOTS: 29-Year-Old Andrew Gaskell & 37-Year-Old Erika Hein
TEAM COVERAGE: Couple Found In Stolen Car Expected To Appear In Court
SEE: Gaskell & Hein CrimeLine Bulletin (PDF)

The ordeal began about 2:15pm on State Road 408 in Orange County. Deputies in Orange County's auto trap unit spotted a stolen car that had been taken from an AutoMax lot.


Unsuspecting Woman Has Car Stolen

AutoMax manager Reagan Andre said Gaskell had offered her $10,000 for the car when he and Hein jumped in and drove off.

"I was thinking, 'Crap. He's still in the car,'" said Andre.

Gaskell, driving the small Mazda, drove into Seminole County and ended up on I-4 in the Lake Mary area. The chase then wound down I-4 into downtown Orlando where the Mazda ended up back on SR 408.

The car exited at the Goldenrod exit and drove for several minutes before it appeared to run out of gas near Sun Vista Way (see map). The male driver and a female passenger jumped out and began to flee.


Suspect Tasered After Foot Chase

Deputies in unmarked SUVs quickly pulled and up and chased the pair on foot. Gaskell was hit with a Taser and slammed to the ground where he was quickly surrounded and placed in handcuffs. While being taken into the Orange County jail, he said he had made a mistake and Hein had urged him to stop during the chase.

"Stupid," said Gaskell. "Erika didn't do nothing. She kept telling me to pull over. That's my wife. I love you, Erika."

At some point after jumping out of the car, deputies say Hein tried to cut her wrists with a razor. Deputies kicked it away. She was taken to Florida Hospital East. There was no immediate word on her condition.

Deputies who went through the car found drug needles. They say the seatbelts had been cut as if to use as tourniquets for drug use.


Suspects Familiar To Cops

Deputies say the pair is suspected of committing several crimes in the west Orange County area, including as many as 16 vehicle thefts, burglaries and shoplifting. They had been dubbed "Bonnie and Clyde."

Records show Hein lives in Altamonte Springs and has a criminal record dating back to the year 2000. It includes burglary, fraud and retail theft. Gaskell was wanted on a grand theft warrant.

Gaskell is expected to appear in court at 11:30 Friday morning while Hein is scheduled to appear around 1:00pm.


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