ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A man deputies said stole a vehicle Thursday night and then led them on a chase across two counties was arrested after he was tracked down by a K-9 deputy when he fled on foot, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said.
Just before 7:30 p.m. Thursday, deputies received a call about a stolen red SUV. The owner told them that they were tracking the vehicle in St. Johns County, leading deputies to find the SUV at a gas station on International Golf Parkway and Interstate 95.
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According to the Sheriff’s Office, when a deputy pulled behind the stolen SUV, Shawn Fraley rammed into the patrol car three times and hit another person’s car before leaving the gas station and leading deputies and Florida Highway Patrol troopers on a pursuit that entered Duval County and eventually returned to St. Johns County.
Fraley then stopped at a rest area near mile marker 331 and ran into the woods, deputies said. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Air Unit and FHP troopers assisted SJSO and the K-9 unit as they searched for Fraley.
A K-9 found Fraley, and he was taken to the hospital for medical clearance because of fentanyl use before he was taken into custody, deputies said.
Fraley was arrested and charged with grand theft auto, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated battery, aggravated fleeing and eluding, driving with a suspended license, and leaving the scene of a crash.
Deputies also learned that Fraley had four non-extraditable outstanding warrants from Ohio and was labeled an escape risk.
“First, thank you to our partners at FHP and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for their assistance during this call. I’d also like to specifically recognize our deputies and K9 Unit for their work on this call which includes a successful K9 engagement,” SJSO Sheriff Robert Hardwick said in a statement on social media. This incident is a prime example of the steadfast diligence that SJSO deputies display during a call for service. From our road deputies, dispatch, and our special teams, our agency members are relentless on solving crime and apprehending the suspect.”