A 31-year-old Lakeland man is facing arrest after troopers say he sped the wrong way down State Road 60 at speeds topping 120 mph, weaving into oncoming lanes before Florida Highway Patrol forced his SUV into a ditch. Malcolm Reid was taken into custody after the pursuit ended near State Road 60 and St. Cloud Avenue in Hillsborough County, capping off a chase that began as a routine traffic stop and escalated into a highway hazard for everyone else on the road.
The incident started when a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy clocked Reid driving 75 mph in a posted 50 mph zone on State Road 60 east of South Maydell Drive, according to WFLA. The deputy attempted to overtake Reid's white Corolla Cross and pull him over, but instead of stopping, Reid sped up once the deputy activated emergency lights and sirens, kicking off a pursuit that a Florida Highway Patrol trooper then joined.
Speeds Topped 120 MPH in the Wrong Lanes
According to the arrest report, Reid reached speeds of up to 120 mph while weaving around other vehicles on State Road 60. Per Florida Highway Patrol, he then drove eastbound in the westbound lanes of the highway, a maneuver that put him on a collision course with oncoming traffic. The arrest report states that Reid came close to hitting other vehicles during the pursuit, though the extent of any near-misses beyond that description has not been detailed.
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper attempted multiple PIT maneuvers on Reid's vehicle in an effort to end the chase, but Reid kept driving after each attempt failed to stop him. He eventually crashed into a raised median and a traffic sign while trying to brake and turn, then tried to steer onto Oak Hill Village Circle before a trooper's final PIT maneuver forced his SUV into a ditch.
Chase Ends With a Taser and a Trip to the Hospital
Once the vehicle was disabled, Reid got out and ran toward the intersection of State Road 60 and St. Cloud Avenue, where he was ultimately taken into custody. A trooper used a Taser on him during the arrest. Reid was transported to Brandon Regional Hospital before being booked into the Orient Road Jail.
Similar high-speed encounters have played out elsewhere in Hillsborough County. A search snippet from Fox 13 News described a separate case in which a driver identified as Porubcan allegedly swerved toward a patrol vehicle when a trooper tried to end that pursuit with a PIT maneuver. The article also references another driver, but the available material does not establish the details of that incident. Those incidents are distinct from Reid's case and involve different individuals.
What Florida Law Says About Fleeing and Eluding
Under Florida law, fleeing or attempting to elude a marked law-enforcement vehicle with activated lights and siren can be classified as a second-degree felony when a driver travels at high speed or shows wanton disregard for the safety of others, according to the Florida Legislature. The cited statute excerpt does not specify a driver's-license revocation period. It remains unclear what specific charges Reid is facing or whether he has entered a plea in connection with the pursuit.
