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Police ID man, woman arrested after fleeing traffic stop with toddler, firing at Cocoa officers

Police said they pursued the car along US-1

COCOA, Fla. – A man and woman were arrested Wednesday night after fleeing from a traffic stop and firing at Cocoa police, according to the police department.

Police said they pulled over a car for a traffic stop, but the woman driving the car fled from the stop.

Afterward, a man in the passenger seat fired at least three rounds at police, who then began to give chase, the department stated on social media.

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Officers said they pursued the car on U.S. Highway 1 with help from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver eventually crashed into another car in Titusville, and the man and woman in the fleeing vehicle were taken into custody, police said. A toddler — who was not properly secured — was also found in the car, according to the department. Police said that neither the child nor any officers suffered any injuries.

The two arrested were identified Thursday as Michael Charles, 30, and Jewel Wellington, 24.

Jennifer Lucken said she lives near Olmstead Drive, where the suspect’s car crashed into another vehicle. She heard about the chase through a Titusville crime social media page Thursday morning.

“With the violence going on in these last few days in Brevard County...it’s just horrendous. I moved here five years ago from Minnesota, and it just seems like every day there’s something new,” she said. “They got chased from all the way here from Cocoa. That’s quite a bit of a distance and quite a high-speed chase. I mean, luckily no one got seriously hurt.”

According to the update, Charles faces charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, child abuse/neglect and battery on a law enforcement officer. Wellington faces charges of felony fleeing/eluding of a law enforcement officer, child abuse, knowingly driving with a suspended license, reckless driving, aggravated fleeing/eluding with a crash, violation of probation and a child restraint violation, police said.

An investigation is ongoing with help from Titusville police.

No additional information has been provided at this time.

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