American Football: man steals super bowl limo, and tries to outrun cops, page 1

Stolen limousine stopped, passengers freed by Jacksonville police

The Associated Press

February 5, 2005, 7:07 PM EST

JACKSONVILLE -- A man carjacked a limousine carrying five Super Bowl visitors and led police on a chase while the frantic passengers called authorities and attempted to jump from the car. No one was injured.

Paul Edgar Cooper, 39, of Jacksonville, was charged with grand theft auto, false imprisonment, attempting to elude a law officer and a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief. He was being held Saturday in the Duval County Jail on $2,500 bond.

During the pursuit police received a call from the guests in the car, who told them their diver was ``acting crazy and wouldn't stop,'' police said. The passengers names weren't released. Police said the car had been reported stolen a day earlier.

Cooper ran through several red lights Friday night in an attempt to flee police, police said.

Officers used stop sticks to slow the car about 10 miles north of Jacksonville on Interstate 95. Cooper continued to drive on the rims of the car for several miles before eventually losing control, said Jacksonville police spokesman Rick Wood.

It could not be immediately determined if Cooper had legal representation.

Police said the limousine was owned by a funeral home. A police report identified Cedric E. Nealey of Stone Mountain, Ga., as the limousine driver.

When contacted by The Associated Press, Nealey refused comment