One nabbed after daring 231 pursuit
A Georgia man is in custody following a daring chase that stretched for miles along a busy highway filled with holiday travelers.
Jackson County, Fla. (WTVY) -A Georgia man is in custody following a daring pursuit that stretched for miles along a busy highway filled with holiday travelers.
Driving a stolen BMW, he raced along U.S. 231 for miles before being nabbed, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release dated Saturday.
Officers who had received reports of the vehicle crossing Hathaway Bridge in Panama City encountered it several miles away.
“Before the two troopers were able to activate their emergency lights and sirens, the vehicle accelerated to a high rate of speed and continued north on U.S. Highway 231,” the statement said.
While initially pursuing the BMW, officers backed off due to heavy traffic headed to and from Panama City Beach during peak tourist season.
Ultimately, the vehicle swerved to avoid spike strips that had been placed along the four-lane highway near the Bay/Jackson County line.
The car came to a stop on other side of the road.
The suspect, 31-year-old Daquan Jamel Johnson of Columbus, was captured nearby after fleeing on foot, FHP said.
Johnson faces a felony count of Fleeing and Eluding, with other charges pending.
FHP said the car was returned to its owner but provided no additional details of the alleged theft.
Copyright 2022 WTVY. All rights reserved.
Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps.