By David Adlerstein
A high-speed chase through five counties Friday afternoon ended safely after Holmes County sheriff’s deputies deployed spike strips that blew out the vehicle’s tires and slowed its advance.
A pair of 20-year-old Pensacola men, David Lee Cattell Jr. and Antonio Raychouni Slocum Jr., were apprehended sometime after 3:30 p.m. after they fled from their disabled vehicle on foot into the woods in Walton County.
Cattell was arrested on charges of aggravated lleeing and eluding, grand theft of a motor vehicle and driving while license suspended or revoked. Slocum was arrested for possession of a fraudulent driver license, resisting arrest without violence, grand theft of a motor vehicle and violation of state probation.
According to a news release from the Florida Highway Patrol, the chase of a white Jeep Grand Cherokee, with temporary Texas tags, heading westbound on Interstate 10, began in Gadsden County.
The vehicle had fled, and was next observed driving recklessly at the 147-mile marker by two troopers who had set up on Interstate 10 in Jackson County,. The troopers initiated a pursuit as a third joined in at the 142-mile marker.
As the chase continued into Washington County, sheriff’s deputies there joined the chase, as FHP Troop A’s commander, who was working traffic enforcement on the interstate, also joined near the 120-mile marker and assisted the Criminal Interdiction Unit.
As more troopers joined the pursuit into Holmes County, sheriff’s deputies there successfully deployed the spike strips sometime after 3:30 p.m., and the chase of the disabled vehicle continued into Walton County, where it ended at the 88-mile marker.
The FHP release said the Jeep traveled off the road onto the north shoulder into some bushes. Both the driver and passenger, who fled on foot into the woods, were arrested without further incident.
The release said further investigation revealed the Jeep was stolen from the Chicago, Illiinois area and had a fraudulent temporary tag attached. A search of the vehicle revealed evidence of multiple counts of credit card fraud and multiple counts of check fraud. Trooper Nate Jordan with the Bureau of Criminal Interdiction and Intelligence) responded to assist with the fraudulent charges portion of the case.
Staff Report