Robbery leads to chase, crash, arrest

Woman says man stole her purse at gunpoint in East Arlington

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 35-year-old man accused of robbing a woman at gunpoint in East Arlington early Monday morning was arrested after leading officers on a 27-mile chase at speeds up to 100 mph over the Dames Point Bridge, ending with a crash into a downtown park, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The robbery victim, Shaina Katz, said her purse was taken at gunpoint about 2 a.m.

“All of a sudden, you see him come in the middle, right behind my truck, point a gun at my face and say, ‘Gimme your purse!’ And, I try and hand it to him, hand him my wallet, throw it at him, and, he was like, ‘Gimme your whole purse!’ So I try to put it down on the ground,” Katz said. “He snatched it, and we ran in the house.”

Katz was at the DMV later that day, getting a new driver's license, trying to put her life back together.

“‘After that happened, of course, that’s terrifying. I don’t wish that on anybody,” Katz said. “I’ll be fine. They got him. So I’ll be fine. I’m a strong one.”

Katz provided a description of a Dodge Dakota pickup truck that police said was stolen. An officer spotted the pickup on Atlantic Boulevard, being driven by Danteus Reese, 35.

The police report said things were being thrown out of the window of the pickup during the pursuit. The pickup went through several red lights and the closed crossing arms of a rail crossing near North Main Street.

An officer struck the pickup in a PIT maneuver, but the driver kept heading south on Main Street. The truck missed the turn onto Phelps Street, crashed through the gate of Confederate Park and ran over several signs and bushes before coming to a stop. The driver got out and ran, authorities said.

Police captured Reese about 3:30 a.m., and a short time later, charged him with armed robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer, reckless driving, and other motor vehicle offenses. He was ordered held without bond and his arraignment was scheduled for Dec. 6.

“Make sure you make him do his time,” Katz said. “Because after the hell he put me and all those officers through, yeah.”