Truck theft leads to gunfire and crash in Port St. Lucie

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — The theft of a pickup truck led to gunshots in the streets of Port St. Lucie, a multi-car crash, and a man in handcuffs.

The ordeal began Tuesday night when a man stole a truck from a jobsite along NW Sable Street. The truck had a trailer hitched to the back, hauling a Bobcat.

Surveillance video shared by police showed the suspect, identified as 19-year-old Raphael Cardona, driving away. Two workers hopped in another vehicle and chased after Cardona, while also dialing 911.

The suspect got stuck in traffic at Bayshore Boulevard and Prima Vista Boulevard. At that moment, one of the workers hopped out of their vehicle and tried to get the driver of the stolen truck to stop. Police said Cardona veered the truck at the worker in an attempt to run him over.

Police said the worker pulled out a gun and fired two shots at the suspect. The suspect was not hit, and continued to drive away down St. Lucie West Boulevard.

Investigators said a police officer saw the fleeing truck try to make a U-turn at St. Lucie West Boulevard and Country Club Drive. That's when the truck crashed into an oncoming Toyota. The car careened into a Hyundai. Cardona bolted from the wreckage and ran through a golf course until officers caught up with him on SW Fairway Landing.

No one was hurt in the crash.

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Police said Cardona walked away from a recovery center and wanted to use the stolen truck to get to a relative's house.

Cardona faces charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, criminal mischief, and resisting an officer. He's at the St. Lucie County Jail.