The two women say they were at a house party in Ruskin when took the homeowner’s car to go to the store.But they decided to drive to Immokalee instead.
Now Viviana Ramirez, 21, and Alicia Sandoval, 18, both of Ruskin, are facing felony charges.
Ramirez and Sandoval were arrested Tuesday in Immokalee after CCSO deputies stopped them traveling in a 2007 black Pontiac that had been reported stolen out of Hillsborough County.
Reports say Ramirez and Sandoval were at a party around 2 a.m. when they took homeowner Deanna Gambrill’s car to go to the store. They decided to go to Immokalee instead to visit relatives.
When Ramirez and Sandoval didn’t return with the car around 5 a.m.Gambrill, 41, reported it stolen, reports said. The car is equipped with an OnStar vehicle safety and security device, which was activated and tracked to a residence on Lake Trafford Farm Road, where Ramirez and Sandoval were arrested.
They told deputies that they thought it would be OK to take the car to Immokalee because they put gas in it. Reports say they used Gambrill’s credit card, which they did not have permission to use, to fuel up the car.
Ramirez and Sandoval are each charged with grand theft auto.
