ORLANDO, Fla. – A report about a woman who believed she was in danger of being transported and sold led to a high-speed chase and a man’s arrest overnight, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
According to an arrest report, deputies were called to Baxley Manor Apartments in Merritt Island overnight Tuesday into Wednesday after the sheriff’s office was made aware of messages a woman was sending about being in a vehicle she believed was on its way to South Florida.
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“Bro, I’m in a vehicle tow to Miami,” one message read, according to the report. “Bro, he’s gonna sell me, I’m trying to get out of the vehicle,” another read.
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Deputies said the woman described the vehicle as a dark maroon Chrysler van SUV with black rims.
The deputy who responded to the apartment complex saw a Chrysler Pacifica with black rims and its lights running backed into a parking space outside one of the buildings, according to the report.
As the deputy approached the vehicle in his marked patrol vehicle, the driver of the Chrysler, who the deputy described as a man with long black afro-style hair in a dark-colored shirt, pulled out of the spot and sped off heading northbound on Kurek Court, the report said.
According to deputies, the driver, later identified as 24-year-old Kais Kaheel, of Winter Park, continued driving, ignoring a stop sign at an intersection, making multiple U-turns and running a number of red lights as his speed topped 100 mph.
As Kaheel turned westbound onto State Road 528, deputies activated their lights and began a pursuit, attempting to stop the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies said Kaheel continued to flee at more than 100 mph before he turned right on the I-95 southbound on-ramp.
As the driver continued driving recklessly for another 10 miles, deputies were able to confirm that the vehicle was stolen out of Casselberry, according to the report.
Deputies deployed stop sticks, which the vehicle drove over as it approached State Road 520. The sticks damaged the vehicle’s front left tire but deputies said Kaheel continued speeding for another 23 miles in an attempt to get away.
Kaheel eventually exited off of North Wickham Road and I-95 before crashing into a grassy median, further damaging the stolen vehicle, according to the report. At that point, deputies said Kaheel got back on the road, hopped over a median and drove the wrong direction on westbound North Wickham Road.
Video from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office helicopter shows smoke coming from the vehicle before it comes to a stop.
Deputies said Kaheel eventually bailed from the vehicle and tried to run away, ignoring commands from law enforcement officers, before deputies were able to get him on the ground and take him into custody.
Kaheel was booked into the Brevard County Jail on charges of driving with a suspended license with knowledge, fleeing and eluding law enforcement at high speed, reckless driving and resisting an officer without violence.
Deputies did not say whether anyone else was in the stolen vehicle.