Troopers say a Saturday morning hit-and-run at the Sugar Mill Ruins Travel Park in New Smyrna Beach escalated into a high-speed pursuit that topped 110 mph before ending in a wreck near the I-95 and State Road 44 ramps. The pickup reportedly slammed into two other vehicles at the intersection, totaling both. Officials say none of the people in those other cars suffered serious injuries, which is about the only lucky break anyone got.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the trouble started when a gray Ford F-150 towing a large camper hit a control box and a pole while trying to leave the RV park. A witness followed the truck to the New Smyrna Church of Christ parking lot, where the camper was dropped and left behind. Investigators say the driver then circled back to the park and took off again, this time without the trailer, according to ClickOrlando.
Chase Moved From Back Roads Onto I-95
Troopers say the pickup sped south on Old Mission Road, then shot onto State Road 442 before merging onto I-95 northbound. There, the driver reportedly weaved through traffic at more than 110 mph, turning the interstate into a very unwilling obstacle course.
The pursuit ended at the I-95 northbound exit at State Road 44 when the truck ran a red light and T-boned a Ford F-150, then careened into a GMC Yukon carrying two young children. Witnesses told WESH that the people in those vehicles, including the children, were not seriously hurt.
Arrest And Charges
Troopers identified the driver as 35-year-old Jonathan Page Hartman of Vero Beach. After the crash, Hartman briefly regained consciousness and resisted officers, according to investigators. A trooper used a Taser multiple times before Hartman was taken by ambulance to Halifax Health Medical Center for medical clearance.
He was later booked into the Volusia County Jail. Hartman faces charges that include fleeing and eluding with disregard for safety, driving under the influence, driving while license suspended, leaving the scene of a crash, and obstruction without violence, per ClickOrlando.
Neighbors Shaken
People who watched the chase tear through their community say they had to yank their cars out of the truck's path as it barreled through neighborhoods. "We were wanting him to get caught because what he was doing was awful," a witness told WESH. Troopers reported observing signs consistent with impairment.
The Florida Highway Patrol says it is continuing to investigate the hit-and-run and the chase that followed. Anyone with information is urged to contact FHP or Volusia County authorities.
