BUNNELL, Fla. – A man who was about to be arrested ran from deputies and tried to hide at a nearby water treatment plant -- but he was caught after jumping into a 9,000-gallon tank, deputies said Thursday.
Sean Monti, 42, tried to evade deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Department by leaping into the water-filtration tank, but he was promptly pulled out and arrested, deputies said.
Deputies first tried to arrest Monti at the Flagler County Courthouse, but he took off across State Road 100 and into the Bunnell Water Treatment Plant, located on Utility Drive, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said they chased Monti to the tank, took him into custody, and then the Palm Coast man was booked at the Flagler County Jail.
Monti now faces charges of aggravated battery/domestic violence, burglary of an occupied structure, felony criminal mischief and resisting arrest.
The Sheriff's Office said Monti, who is suspected of hurting his longtime girlfriend, was spotted at the courthouse about 10:45 a.m. Thursday. Deputies were preparing to arrest him when they said he started the chase.
He dashed into the plant, and then a witness reported to deputies that Monti had run upstairs.
Monti was only at the plant for less than 10 minutes, officials said. Still, he contaminated the water tank, Bunnell City Manager Dan Davis said.
Workers had to drain and flush all four 9,000-gallon tanks. Fresh water will replace what was contaminated, Davis added. It’s expected to cost about $1,500.
Plant employees will have to drain, decontaminate and refill the fresh water -- 72,000 gallons of it, according to officials. Extra labor and chemicals could add an additional $1,000 to the bill.
The city’s water supply was never compromised, Davis said.