Vibe high speed chase story

[joatmon]

when I see these things, sometimes it's hard to know which forum to put them in. In this case, thought maybe Vibe lounge, for the general interest of a stolen Vibe in a high speed chase, even with three flat tires, and then a head on into a semi with out injury, but ended up deciding it was Florida, so Southeast.

http://www.starbanner.com/arti.../NEWS

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High-speed police chase ends with a bang BY KAREN VOYLES THE GAINESVILLE SUN An early morning, high-speed car chase from Marion County through Levy County finally ended in Dixie County when the driver was subdued after being hit twice with a Taser Friday. The incident began at 1:56 a.m. when Marion County dispatchers issued a bulletin asking area agencies to watch for a 2006 Pontiac Vibe taken during a home-invasion burglary in the Flemington area. As the bulletin was being broadcast, Levy County Deputy Kevin Kinik was clocking a driver traveling 82 mph in the 65 mph zone on U.S. 27 north of Williston. Levy County Sheriff's Lt. Evan Sullivan said the man rammed another deputy's squad car three times, then drove over stop sticks outside Chiefland. The stop sticks deflated at least three of the car's tires but did not get the man to stop the car. Sullivan said the 80 to 100 mph chase continued into Dixie County on U.S. 19 where the driver rammed a Dixie County squad car. The chase ended when the man, who was then driving northbound in a southbound lane of U.S. 19, collided head-on with a semi at 2:35 a.m. near Dixie County Road 55A. Sullivan said the semi driver and the man driving the car were not injured. After the man got out of the car, Sullivan said he was combative. Deputies tried to control him by hitting him with a Taser. "He went to the ground, but he pulled out the Taser points and got back up flailing his arms and swinging," Sullivan said. Deputies reportedly fired another Taser round, and the man was handcuffed after he fell to the ground the second time. Charges were being filed in Marion, Levy and Dixie counties on Friday morning against the driver of the car, who was identified as Darius James, 22, of Citrus County.

[ajflan]

We have safe cars! I wonder how fast he was going when he hit that semi?

[joatmon]

60

http://www.willistonpioneer.co...3.txt

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Chase speeds through Levy, ends in Dixie By Jeff M. Hardison CROSS CITY - Deputies from Marion, Levy and Dixie counties chased a 22-year-old Citra man who was stopped only after a head-on collision with a semi tractor-trailer just after 2 a.m. on June 29, according to records. Darius J. James of Citra suffered minor injuries, according to Dixie County Sheriff's Capt. Chad Reed and Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Scott Martin. The semi driver was not hurt. James was taken into custody and transported to North Florida Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released to the custody of the Dixie County Sheriff's Office. The DCSO charged him with one count of aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude a law enforcement officer (LEO), one count of aggravated battery on an LEO with a motor vehicle and one count of aggravated battery on an LEO, Reed said. The Levy County Sheriff's Office charged James with three counts of aggravated battery on an LEO with a motor vehicle and one county of felony fleeing and attempting to elude an LEO, according to LCSO spokesman Lt. Evan Sullivan. The Marion County Sheriff's Office charged James with grand theft and home invasion/robbery, according to MCSO Public Information Officer Sue Livoti. James is being held in the Dixie County Jail with no bail, because he has holds placed on him from Levy and Marion counties. James's interactions with civilians and police, which ended with his arrest on June 29, began shortly after his mother Vivian Jackson reported him missing from the Flemington area to the Marion County Sheriff's Office on June 28 at about 10 a.m., Livoti said. Jackson told the MCSO that he had been acting strangely, not sleeping and was hallucinating, Livoti said. MCSO deputies started searching for James with dogs and an air unit, Livoti said. At about 1:30 a.m. on June 29, a victim heard glass shatter at his home in Micanopy. The victim barricaded himself and another person who lives there in the bedroom, the MCSO spokesperson said. “They're trying to kill me,” James reportedly yelled to the victims, Livoti said. “Give me your keys and I won't hurt you.” The keys to a 2006 Pontiac Vibe were slid under the door, she said. LCSO Deputy Kevin Kinik clocked the Vibe at 82 m.p.h. northbound on U.S. Alt. 27 in Levy County soon after MCSO dispatch had issued a “be on the lookout” notice for the stolen vehicle over the radio. The speed limit there is 65 m.p.h., Sullivan said. Kinik turned on his overhead lights and attempted to stop James, Sullivan said. The Vibe sped up, he added. During the trip through three counties, James reached a speed of 110 m.p.h., Sullivan said LCSO Deputy Ella Roberts was ahead of the pursuit. James rammed into the rear of Roberts' cruiser twice and then hit the driver side of the car with the Vibe when Roberts moved over to let James pass, Trooper Martin said in his report. Deputies then backed off a bit, Sullivan said. LCSO Deputy David Rodriguez placed stop sticks on Alt. 27 near Levyville, and he took out three of the Vibe's tires, Sullivan said. James kept going. The Chiefland Police Department joined in pursuit, Sullivan said. James went through Chiefland on U.S. Highway 19 and traveled north on three flat tires into Dixie County, Sullivan said. While going north, James went into the southbound lane, DCSO Capt. Reed said. A DCSO unit driven by Duane Sullivan was traveling in front of the Vibe in an attempt to move oncoming traffic out of James' path. The Vibe hit the semi at about 60 m.p.h., Reed said, after hitting the Dixie cruiser in the rear. After the crash, which occurred near Eugene - between Old Town and Cross City - James got out of the vehicle and was combative with officers. A Chiefland officer shot him with a Taser, CPD Chief Robert Douglas said. James took the barbs came out, he again began fighting, and kicked LCSO Deputy Rodriguez in the face. He was sprayed with pepper spray and shot with a Taser again, and finally he was physically restrained and arrested, LCSO Lt. Evan Sullivan said.