A 38-year-old man has been identified as the person shot and killed by deputies during a shootout in Hastings Wednesday, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said Joshua Christopher Noles of Volusia County was the suspect in a reported hit and run incident in Flagler County. Noles' last known address was listed as “Transient” in Daytona Beach, according to a Florida Offender database.
He was spotted in the area of A1A South and State Road 206 driving aggressively, according to deputies. Noles led deputies west onto State Road 207 where he was seen driving into oncoming traffic, crashing through a fence on private property and intentionally ramming into St. Johns County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicles, the sheriff's office said.
The chase came to an end when Noles failed to turn and crashed into an abandoned bus located on private property, deputies said. He then exited the vehicle with a handgun and began firing at deputies, according to the sheriff's office.
Corporal Quentin Beckton, Corporal Andrew Huskey and Deputy Tyler Quinney returned fire with Noles, the sheriff's office said. Noles was struck and killed at the scene.
This is the first deputy-involved shooting for each of the deputies, deputies said. None of the deputies were injured during the shooting and they have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing and the cause and manner of Noles' death are pending the autopsy findings by the 23rd District Medical Examiner’s Office.