Taylon Nichelle Celestine goes on solar eclipse shooting spree along Florida highway cause God instructed her to do so. Woman who was staying at motel shoots at two drivers, hitting one in the neck.
A woman accused of randomly opening gunfire along a Florida highway — shooting two drivers— did so because ‘God’ told her to do so via solar eclipse, according to cops.
Taylon Nichelle Celestine, 22, checked out of her Holmes County motel Monday, telling staffers as she was leaving that she was directed by God to go on a shooting spree in relation to the total solar eclipse — even though Florida was not anywhere near the path of Monday’s astronomical phenomenon.
Celestine, driving a purple Dodge Challenger with Georgia plates, got onto Interstate 10 at the 112-mile marker and began firing at other vehicles within five miles of getting on the highway in Washington County, Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release.
Armed with both an assault rifle and handgun
She allegedly shot at a passing car on the interstate several times. The male driver of the vehicle was grazed by a bullet on the arm and was struck with glass fragments when a bullet shattered his window, the agency stated.
He pulled over onto the shoulder of the highway as Celestine kept on driving, the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office said.
But there was more to come.
Celestine — reportedly armed with both an assault rifle and handgun — kept driving west on I-10 and opened fire on a second vehicle near the 107-mile market, according to highway patrol.
That driver was shot in the neck and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, the agency revealed.
Celestine continued driving until highway patrol troopers caught up to her near the 96-mile marker and pulled her over.
The officers allegedly recovered an AR-15 and a 9mm handgun from the Challenger.
She was taken into custody without incident and remained in custody at Holmes County Jail on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and improper discharge of a firearm.
It’s unclear which gun she allegedly used to shoot at the other drivers and whether they were obtained legally.
Not immediately clear is how the woman ended up at the motel she was staying and what led to her ending up at the transitory address before going on her shooting spree.
The investigation is ongoing.
