FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office released body camera footage showing a high-speed pursuit of a man who allegedly beat a woman and ordered her to drive him around.
The March 15 incident began when a woman, who was reportedly bruised and had a black eye, entered a gas station and asked the attendant to call 911. The woman later told officers that the suspect had hit her repeatedly, threatened her life at gunpoint and struck her with a gun, according to the release.
| WEBINAR: How agencies operationalize real-time policing
When officers arrived at the scene, a vehicle parked at a gas pump quickly drives away. Dashcam video from the pursuit shows the suspect running red lights and weaving through traffic as he fled.
After entering Interstate 95, the suspect vehicle reached speeds of more than 120 mph, according to the sheriff’s office. A Florida Highway Patrol cruiser is shown taking the lead in the pursuit.
Video shows the trooper performing a PIT maneuver on the suspect vehicle after the pursuit exited the highway, causing the vehicle to spin, but the suspect continued to flee.
An additional maneuver caused the vehicle to spin rapidly off the roadway, but the suspect was able to reenter the road and continue fleeing.
Video shows the suspect eventually coming to a stop on the roadside. Officers ordered him out of the vehicle and took him into custody at gunpoint. The suspect appeared to comply with the officers’ instructions.
Deputies arrested the man on charges of domestic battery, false imprisonment, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement with disregard for the safety of persons or property. The suspect has an extensive criminal history and was on inmate release status at the time of the incident, according to the sheriff’s office.
“This dirtbag was already on Florida’s inmate release status after serving just two years in state prison for attempted murder, and obviously he needs to go back to prison, but this time for a very long time,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly stated. “He displayed complete disregard for anyone around him when he dangerously tried to flee across two counties. His prior conviction and arrests for very serious charges demonstrate that he is violent and a clear danger to society. I commend the victim for getting away from him and seeking help, and I commend the employee for calling 911. He likely saved her life. We also thank our partners at FHP for their assistance in helping us apprehend him before he could hurt someone else.”
