Deputy honored for stopping suspected murderer

Malav Desai was killed during a robbery at a tobacco shop in St. Augustine.

A sergeant with the Clay County Sheriff's Office was honored Wednesday night for his role in catching an accused killer following the shooting death of Malav Desai during a convenience store holdup last May.

Court records said that 15-year-old Sergio Morgan-Wideman is being charged as an adult after a St. Johns County grand jury indicted Morgan-Wideman on four counts, including felony first-degree murder, armed robbery with a firearm and two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.

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Police said Morgan-Wideman, a runaway teen, shot 29-year-old Malav Desai (pictured below) in the head while robbing the Tobacco & Beverage Express on Masters Drive in St. Augustine in May.

Malav Desai was killed during a robbery at a tobacco shop in St. Augustine.

According to officials he then jumped in a stolen SUV and took off on a high-speed chase with another teenager.

Sgt. Eric Twisdale took charge of the car chase that ended with a daring act of driving.

Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler presented a Medal of Valor Award to Twisdale after he used the PIT maneuver to stop Morgan-Wideman.

"It's always exciting to receive recognition for something that you've done," Twisdale said.

In a matter of fact fashion, Twisdale accepted the Sheriff's Office Medal of Valor.

"There were many other officers besides myself scrambling to the same area to try to bring this same pursuit to an end without anybody else getting hurt," Twisdale said. "It was just really a lot of thought of where people needed to be and where I needed to be in order to bring this to an end."

Deputies across several counties tried to stop the SUV and when measures like stop-sticks didn't work, Twisdale executed a PIT maneuver, halting the Morgan-Wideman SUV by slamming into it with his own cruiser.

"Ramming the vehicle was one of my primary thoughts, obviously the stop-sticks were not working, they were able to evade several sets of stop-sticks so ramming the vehicle was one of my first thoughts, and I wanted to bring that vehicle to a stop," Twisdale said. "It makes me feel real good, it makes me feel like the real job we do out here every day is finally recognized for what it is and that's protecting the public."

Twisdale said taking charge in that situation is just how he normally handles things. Assessing what needs to be done, then getting them done quickly and efficiently
 


About the Author:

Kent Justice co-anchors News4Jax's 5 p.m., 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts weeknights and reports on government and politics. He also hosts "This Week in Jacksonville," Channel 4's hot topics and politics public affairs show each Sunday morning at 9 a.m.