Beer Toting Man Leads Police on Chase on I-95

KINGSLAND, GA -- A dispute at a Jacksonville hotel between a couple ended in a chase and crash in Georgia.

Police say around 3 p.m. an intoxicated man took off in a red Ford Bronco from the Days Inn in Jacksonville. The man led authorities down I-10 and then north on I-95.

"It initially started westbound I-10 towards Tallahasee, then he cut through the median wrecklessly and headed back I-10 eastbound then 295 north and he got off on several exits and got back on 295 northbound," said JSO Lieutenant Andre Ayoub.

Police tried to use stop sticks more than a dozen times during the pursuit, but each time the man drove around them.

The pursuit went from 295 to I=95 North, where police closed off exit and entrance ramps, and were joined by Nassau County Sheriff's Deputies with a chopper overhead.

"The high speeds were about 85 mph," said Lt. Ayoub, "and several times the suspect held a beer can out of the driver's window as if taunting the officers." "During the pursuit he attempted to ram several JSO and Nassau County Deputies." And after fifty miles, that's when police said, enough is enough.

"After he attempted to ram the Jax Sheriff's officers and Nassau County Deputies, I gave the permission at that time to go ahead and pit the suspect vehicle," said Ayoub.

The pit maneuver is where the pursuing vehicle starts to pass the vehicle being chased, and then deliberately swerves into the vehicles back corner, causing it to spin out of control.

In this case, it was a trained K-9 officer who successfully implemented the pit maneuver, causing the suspect's bronce to spin out and go off the road.

Then it was time to release the hounds.

"At which time the K-9 Unit deployed its dog and was able to apprehend the suspect," said Lt. Ayoub, describing how the man has a large bite on his inner thigh from the dog.

The bite was enough to get the suspect an ambulance ride to Shands Hospital, and when he is released, he'll be off to jail.

The identity of the driver had not been released late Friday night.