A 19-year-old Ocala man was apprehended by a Marion County Sheriff’s Office K-9 after he allegedly crashed his vehicle and attempted to flee on foot following a high-speed car chase.
On Saturday, November 9, shortly after 9:50 p.m., an MCSO deputy observed a white Mercedes-Benz that was traveling westbound on NW 17th Avenue, near the NW Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue intersection. The deputy noted in the arrest report that the driver, later identified as O, Jr., was not wearing a seatbelt.
When the deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, T allegedly began driving at a “high rate of speed.” The report stated that he turned onto NW 18th Court before heading westbound on 18th Street.
Thompson’s vehicle eventually came to a stop near the 1600 block of 18th Street. As the deputy approached the vehicle on foot, T allegedly accelerated quickly as he drove away from the traffic stop, according to the report.
The report stated that during the ensuing high-speed pursuit, T ran a stop sign and traveled northbound on NW Marin Luther King, Jr. Avenue before ultimately crashing into a street sign and stop sign.
T allegedly exited the vehicle and fled on foot into the nearby woods. The deputy noted that MCSO’s aviation unit soon arrived on scene, providing T’s location to a K-9 unit that was tracking him on the ground.
According to the report, T hopped over a fence and entered the parking lot of a local construction business. An MCSO K-9 caught up to T in the parking lot, and he was soon apprehended by deputies.
During a pat-down search of T, keys were found, which allegedly belonged to the vehicle that had crashed while fleeing law enforcement. The report further stated that inside the vehicle, deputies allegedly found T’s cellphone on the floorboard, near the driver’s seat.
After being read his Miranda rights, T refused to answer any questions. He was then taken to a local hospital for treatment of a dog bite. After being medically cleared, he was placed under arrest and transported to Marion County Jail.
Thompson is currently being held at Marion County Jail on a $4,500 bond. He is being charged with fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer without violence, and leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage.
On Monday, December 2, T is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. regarding the charge of leaving the scene of a crash. Another court date is scheduled to take place the following week, at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, December 10, regarding the two other charges.
Source: ocala-news
