Fort Myers woman accused of forcing teen to drive her around town at gunpoint

Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published: Updated:
Dina Wilson. Sarasota Police Department

A Fort Myers woman was arrested in Sarasota after police say she forced a teenager to drive her around town at gunpoint Wednesday night.

According to the Sarasota Police Department, officers arrested Dina Wilson, 61, after witnesses called about Wilson aiming a gun at a 16-year-old girl.

The victim told officers she drove to Lido Beach to watch the sunset. As she opened her trunk, Wilson approached her to ask for jumper cables. When the victim said she did not have any, she said Wilson asked a couple nearby. When the couple also said they did not have jumper cables, the victim said Wilson pulled a small gun from her right side, held it where the victim could see it and told the victim to drive her to her car at South Lido Beach.

The arrest report says that after arriving at South Lido Beach, Wilson got out of the victim’s car and left the passenger door open. After digging around her car, she got back into the victim’s car. and told her to take her to get food. The victim took Wilson to a convenience store in the 1000 block of North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota and sent text messages to her friend when Wilson went inside, writing that she was being forced to drive Wilson around while being threatened with a gun. The friend called 911 before the victim updated her friend, saying they were heading back to the Lido Beach area.

An SPD officer was already inside South Lido Park after locking the entry gate for the night. Additional officers shared that the victim was driving a gray SUV. Moments later, a gray SUV pulled into South Lido Park through the exit gate and drove quickly towards the officer’s patrol car. The officer drove towards the SUV, stopped the vehicle, ordered Wilson out of the passenger door and took her into custody.

Wilson was taken to Sarasota Police Headquarters to be interviewed by detectives. Afterward, she was placed under arrest and faces charges of false imprisonment, for forcing the 16-year-old victim to drive her to locations against her will by the threat of a gun. Detectives believe this was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public. Wilson is being held at the Sarasota County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

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