Delusional Georgia woman opens fire on Florida highway claiming God spoke to her ‘through the eclipse’ and told her to start shooting people

A woman who opened fire on a Florida highway claimed God told her to do so ‘in relation to the solar eclipse’- despite the state not being in the path of totality. 

Taylon Nichelle Celestine, 22, was stopped by police on I-10 on Monday after reports of an active shooter in Holmes County, about an hour outside of Tallahassee. 

Celestine drove a purple Dodge Challenger with Georgia plates onto the highway, and within five miles, she ‘fired multiple shots into another vehicle’ before hitting another driver, Florida Highway Patrol said. 

One of the driver’s was hit with glass from his car window and was grazed in his arm by a bullet. The other was struck in the neck and taken to a nearby hospital.  

Once troopers located Celestine, they pulled her over for a traffic stop and took her into custody. Authorities found an AR-15 and 9mm handgun in her car. 

Before she went on the violent rampage, Florida Highway Patrol said that the suspect told staff at a local hotel that ‘God’ instructed her to go on a shooting spree because of the eclipse. 

As Celestine traveled along the interstate, she opened fire at passing cars and hit a male driver before she struck another. 

The first driver was able to steer clear of Celestine and pulled over on the shoulder of the road after he was hit. 

One of the cars was seen with cracked glass and multiple bullet holes following the frightening shooting.  

After that, she proceeded to drive on the highway before highway troopers caught up to her and pulled her over for a felony traffic stop. 

According to police, she was taken into custody without incident and taken to the Holmes County Jail. 

Celestine was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and improper discharge of a firearm. 

In Florida, first-degree attempted murder can carry a life sentence in jail with a possibility for parole, and up to $10,000 in fines. 

An aggravated battery charge is considered a second-degree felony that can result in up to 15 years of parole or 15 years in prison, along with a fine up to $10,000. 

Improperly discharging a firearm in the Sunshine State is typically classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, with a sentence of up to one year in jail or a year of probation, and a $1,000 fine. 

On Monday, the total solar eclipse brought North America to a standstill as the moon blocked the sun. 

The phenomenon started in Mexico before it moved on to Texas and swept across New England and Canada.

The Mexican beachside resort town of Mazatlan was the first major viewing spot to be plunged into darkness from the celestial phenomenon. 

People flocked from all over the country to states like Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri to see the eclipse that isn’t expected to happen again until 2045. 

While the crowds in the south were awestruck and New Yorkers were typically underwhelmed, the event sent animals in zoos and households across the country into a frenzy. 

At the Dallas Zoo, giraffes, zebras and ostriches shrieked, squawked and ran for cover as the clouds grew darker.