TAMPA, Fla. – What started with a listing of a 2011 Toyota Camry for sale on Facebook’s Marketplace allegedly ended with a car chase, gunshots, and a collision on Coachman Avenue in Tampa.
In April, a Tampa man operating on Facebook Marketplace under the name “Ti Pham” listed his 2011 Toyota Camry for sale.
A buyer responding from the Facebook page named “Jerry Barton” reached out via Facebook and arranged to stop by Pham’s home for a look at the car.
When Pham gave Barton the keys for a test drive, Barton fled in the vehicle.
Pham got into another vehicle and chased after the man. Soon thereafter, the two vehicles collided in front of a home located roughly 1.5 miles away.
According to court documents, Barton then pulled out a firearm and fired several rounds into Pham’s side windows —Pham was not struck — and then fled on foot.
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According to a search warrant, while investigating the incident, police found a firearm holster that “Jerry Barton” left in Pham’s Camry.
It is unknown whether Ti Pham was the Toyota seller’s true name or whether “Jerry Barton” is an alias.
As part of an investigation, the Tampa Police Department is seeking a court order requiring Facebook to turn over all communications and all location information between Barton and Pham.
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