BELLE ISLE, Fla. – A California man is facing charges after the vehicle he was driving was taken off the road with a PIT maneuver by Polk County deputies and ended up in the backyard of a Belle Isle residence early Wednesday, deputies say.
The crash occurred around 3:30 a.m. in the area of Gondola and Stafford Drives following a high-speed pursuit, the Belle Isle Police Department said on social media, adding deputies conducted the PIT maneuver in the county portion of Gondola Drive.
According to an arrest report from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy attempted to stop the gray Jeep Wrangler bearing a New York tag at the offramp of eastbound Interstate 4 on U.S. Highway 27 before the driver of the Jeep sped up, ran a red light and then led the deputy on a pursuit failing to yield to lights and sirens.
The driver of the wrecked Jeep Wrangler was apprehended at the site of the crash. Deputies say the suspect — identified as 42-year-old Thomas Rinaldi by his California Driver’s license — refused verbal orders and was apprehended by a K9.
Belle Isle Police blamed Rinaldi for damaging a fire hydrant at Stafford and Colleen Drives, causing flooding which Orange County Utilities and city maintenance have since been notified of, the post states.
“I could just imagine neighbors waking up in the morning and seeing that most of their lawn had been flooded, and they’re in 1-2 feet of water, trying to come out there home,” said neighbor Brett Harvey, who was on his way home from Wawa when he saw what happened.
Rinaldi was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of fleeing and eluding police, reckless driving with property damage, and resisting an officer without violence.
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