PALM COAST, Fla. – A Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy is recovering Wednesday after an armed robbery suspect fled from deputies and crashed into his patrol vehicle, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A 911 call was received from a Palm Coast Taco Bell restaurant around 12:48 a.m. on Wednesday reporting an attempted robbery. The cashier told deputies that a man in a blue four-door car drove through the drive-through window and passed a note that read, “Be quiet and hand me the money. I have a gun.” Deputies searched the area and found a car matching the description in the McDonalds parking lot on Old Kings Road. The car took off once the driver, Jason Klokow, 37, saw the deputies, the Sheriff’s Office said.
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Deputies chased Klokow on Interstate 95 south into Volusia County, where he exited onto US Highway 1 and crashed into Deputy Craig Rossi’s patrol car near the intersection with Nova Road, authorities said.
Rossi’s airbags deployed and he suffered a forearm and chest injury, the Sheriff’s Office said. He was taken to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach, where he was treated and released. The Sheriff’s Office said he is now home recovering.
Deputies were able to stop Klokow near the area of a Walmart in Ormond Beach using stop sticks, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Klokow was arrested for robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement.
His passenger, Christopher McMillian, fled from the car and was found near the back of the Walmart by a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy and a Holly Hill Police Officer and taken into custody, authorities said.
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McMillian was arrested for fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement and accessory after the fact. McMillian also had an active Daytona Beach warrant for failure to pay child support.
“We’re grateful for the assistance of the surrounding agencies in helping us take these two dangerous dirtbags into custody before they seriously hurt someone,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Our deputies did an outstanding job apprehending these two armed robbers. Deputy Rossi is going to be okay and back out fighting crime before we know it. Two more beds are filled at the Green Roof Inn.”