A Sunday morning police chase in Volusia County ended in gunfire on Interstate 95, leaving a South Daytona officer and the suspected shooter in the hospital, authorities said. The officer was reported to be in stable condition and awaiting surgery. The pursuit started after an earlier report of shots being fired off Country Lane, where investigators say no one was hurt in that initial incident.
According to investigators, Port Orange officers located a suspect during the follow-up to the Country Lane call and tried to pull the driver over. The suspect allegedly took off, and South Daytona units joined the pursuit. The chase came to a halt when the suspect’s vehicle crashed on I-95. After the wreck, officials say the suspect opened fire on officers, and both the suspect and a South Daytona officer were hit and taken to nearby hospitals, as reported by FOX 35 Orlando.
How Port Orange's Pursuit Policy Frames Chases
The Port Orange Police Department says its officers are only allowed to engage in high-speed pursuits when violent felonies are involved, and that supervisors must weigh factors like traffic, road layout, and weather conditions before greenlighting a chase. In its 2024 annual report, the department notes officers were involved in two pursuits that year and documented dozens of cases where drivers fled but were not chased because the situations did not meet policy standards. For more on those rules and statistics, see the Port Orange Police Department.
Investigation Underway
Officials stress that the information released so far is preliminary. They have not yet released the suspect’s name or any formal charges. Port Orange police told reporters that, based on the initial details, there was no known connection between the suspected shooter and the person mentioned in the first gunfire call on Country Lane. Investigators say more details will be made public as they are confirmed, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Traffic around Beville Road, Interstate 4, and I-95 was heavily backed up while multiple agencies worked the crash and shooting scene, and drivers in the area experienced significant delays. Anyone with dash-cam footage or information has been asked to contact the Port Orange Police Department non-emergency line as the investigation continues. This story will be updated as officials release more information.
