MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A driver was arrested after he was caught speeding through a red light on Saturday night, sparking a chase, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
In a release, deputies said that the incident happened around 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of Southwest 38th Street and Southwest 80th Avenue.
At the time, a deputy spotted the driver — identified as Michael Gonzalez, 19 — who drove around the deputy and sped through the intersection at around 100 mph while the traffic light was still red, the release shows.
In response, the deputy began to chase Gonzalez, who continued fleeing at over 100 mph, investigators said.
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However, he lost control of his vehicle after reaching the 7900 block of Southwest 80th Avenue, causing him to spin out in the grass on the side of the road, deputies explained.
The deputy pulled up to Gonzalez’s vehicle, but he continued to flee, according to the release. However, due to Gonzalez’s high speed, erratic driving and the fact that they were in a residential area, the pursuit was canceled for public safety, the sheriff’s office announced.
Around 30 minutes later, other deputies found Gonzalez’s vehicle, and he was pulled over into a gas station, deputies said.
[DEPUTIES RELEASED BODY-CAMERA FOOTAGE OF GONZALEZ’S ARREST, WHICH CAN BE VIEWED IN THE MEDIA PLAYER BELOW]
Gonzalez was placed under arrest, and when asked why he fled, he stated that “he thought he could get away with it and that it would be fun,” the release reads.
He faces charges of fleeing with disregard for the safety of people or property. He was released on Sunday night on a bond of $5,000.
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