He jumped out of a stolen car after a chase with Florida cops. Then he began to rise
“Hanging out in trees is for the birds … and suspects” begins a Friday Facebook post from the Tampa Police Department regarding a dramatic call on the morning of Oct. 13.
The says that around 11 a.m. on Interstate 275, officers attempted to stop a stolen vehicle from Polk County.
Police helicopter footage included on the post shows the high-speed chase in action, with officers pursuing a gray SUV heading south toward downtown Tampa.
As patrol cars close in on the car and attempt to box it in, the 35 year old driver manages to get away by barreling over orange construction cones before speeding off.
As the driver attempts to take an exit ramp to get off the highway, traffic slows, with a black truck in front of him. A few seconds later, the suspect ditches the still-moving vehicle and jumps out of the passenger side.
Wearing a T shirt and shorts, he can then be seen nimbly scaling a wall and running toward the woods, where he disappears.
Soon enough, the police aircraft’s heat-seeking sensor picks up movement in a treetop.
As the camera closes in, the image of the suspect appears, hiding among the thick branches.
The aviation unit communicates the suspect’s location and a ground unit, along with a K-9, surround the area.
“He’s making his way down,” says the aviation cop from above. “Slowly.”
The agile individual was taken into custody and charged with fleeing to elude and resisting an officer without violence, with additional charges pending.
This story was originally published October 23, 2023 at 10:51 AM.
