A ride-along meant to showcase routine deputy work in St. Johns County turned into a real high-speed chase, ending with a teenager in custody and a deputy suffering minor injuries. News4JAX anchor and reporter John Asebes was on the ride-along.
Asebes was riding with Corporal Michael Ettel, who works for the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, as part of the Citizens' Law Enforcement Academy. On this particular shift, stop-sign enforcement preceded a day that escalated into something far more dramatic.
A Quiet Start Before Things Turned
Before the chase, Ettel described stop-sign enforcement as part of his shift, telling Asebes, “I try to get out here at least once a shift and do some stop sign enforcement.”
Stop, Then Flight
The driver of the stolen hatchback initially stopped, but then took off again, weaving through traffic as deputies and the trooper gave chase. The vehicle nearly caused a crash before exiting onto International Golf Parkway, where it ultimately crashed. The suspect, identified on scene as a teenager, was taken into custody following the crash.
A deputy suffered minor injuries during the encounter and is expected to return to duty, per the same News4JAX account. The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office assisted with the pursuit, while the Florida Highway Patrol is leading the investigation. The station notes it is working to learn more details from Florida Highway Patrol about the case.
Routine Stop, Real-World Risk
The pursuit showed how a quiet ride-along can turn dangerous in an instant. A separate News4JAX report in late September described two teens arrested after a stolen-truck chase that ended in a PIT maneuver.
Florida law addresses fleeing that results in serious injury or death.
Part of a Broader Pattern Statewide
The St. Johns County chase adds to a growing list of Florida pursuits drawing scrutiny statewide. Florida Highway Patrol chase-related deaths climbed from five in 2023 to 15 in 2024, according to an analysis reported by TCPalm, which also found that the agency's use of PIT maneuvers jumped from 100 to 286 over the same period. The increase followed a December 2023 policy change that explicitly allowed troopers to drive on the wrong side of the road and use other high-risk tactics during pursuits.
Separately, an analysis of federal crash data found that at least 40 people died in Florida police pursuits between 2020 and 2024, as reported by CBS12. Among the fatal cases: four teenagers between 14 and 17 years old were killed during an FHP chase near Gainesville in April 2024 after a stolen SUV rolled over when a trooper used a PIT maneuver at speeds above 100 miles per hour. A July 2024 pursuit-related crash in West Palm Beach killed Marcia Pochette and her pregnant daughter, Jenice Woods, while Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Fink and semi-truck driver Arsenio Mas died in a separate pursuit crash in St. Lucie County that February.
In the St. Johns County case, the teenager was taken into custody without further detail yet released on charges or booking status. The Florida Highway Patrol's investigation remains active, and News4JAX says it is continuing to seek additional information from the agency.
