JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Robert McLean’s front yard of his Mandarin home was destroyed during a police chase on Friday afternoon.
His home was caught in the middle of a police pursuit and the spot where JSO officers finally were able to stop a road rage suspect accused of firing shots at police.
McLean said the city is now paying for the damages.
McLean on Monday told News4JAX about the scary incident.
“I was in my bedroom I heard a thud I was wondering if a tree fell,” he said. “I looked out the front and saw a [Ford] Excursion sitting in my yard and a guy ranting and raving and JSO with their guns drawn.”
The police chase started as a road rage incident on Loretto Road and San Jose Boulevard.
Investigators determined that someone was stopped at a red light when another person began shooting at him. No one was hit by the gunfire.
As officers were investigating the incident the suspect, 28-year-old Raymond Dick, drove by and that’s when the chase started.
JSO said the chase lasted about seven minutes. Officers say they were finally successful in stopping Dick after the sixth pit maneuver which forced Dick off the road on McLean’s property off Mandarin Road through his gate and brick posts.
“It was to the point they were going to survive everything but a rolling Excursion,” McLean said.
McLean estimates it’s between $45 to 50 thousand worth of damage.
JSO said Dick was combative with officers as he got out of his vehicle. JSO also says Dick grabbed the K-9 and punched it.
“It took four people to get on top of him to restrain him. Once they restrained him and put him in the car I thought it was safe for my wife and I to come out,” McLean said.
Mclean said JSO told him the city is going to pay to fix his yard...but he’s just glad everyone’s ok.
“I’m hoping they’ll get it back together the way it was. It was a beautiful area,” he said. “Things can be replaced, people can’t.”
Court records show Dick has prior arrests, including aggravated assault on his disabled father with a fireplace poker. Court documents show his father said his son has mental health and anger issues, brain damage, has been Baker Acted, goes off his medications, has sold his medications to buy illegal drugs and goes to AA meetings.