A 22-year-old man led Lee County deputies on a chase through North Fort Myers on Oct. 18 that ended with his truck flipped onto its side, after which he climbed out and calmly asked an officer for a cigarette. Zachary Taylor Murray now faces a lengthy list of charges, including trafficking in cocaine, following the pursuit near Orange Grove Boulevard.
The chase began after the Fort Myers Police Department asked Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies for help locating a truck that had fled an earlier traffic stop, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies patrolling Orange Grove Boulevard spotted the white truck near Pondella Road and attempted their own stop, but Murray took off, according to SNN.
What followed was a stretch of road that could have ended far worse. Murray swerved around a parked vehicle, blew through a red light, and nearly collided with another truck as he accelerated and briefly lost traction, per the seed reporting from Crave Online. He then drove over a median and into oncoming traffic, a maneuver the sheriff's office says prompted deputies to intervene before someone got hurt.
Deputies Flip the Truck to Stop the Danger
To keep Murray from continuing what the sheriff's office called reckless driving that could cause a deadly crash, deputies performed a precision immobilization technique maneuver, striking the truck to force it to a stop. The impact of that PIT maneuver knocked the vehicle onto its side, according to Officer.com.
Once the truck came to rest, deputies ordered Murray out, and he replied, “Yes, sir!” twice before climbing from the overturned vehicle, according to the seed reporting. As deputies handcuffed him, Murray said, “Not trying to fight,” and then, “Man, I'm going to jail.” Moments later, he turned to a deputy and asked, “All right. Can I get a cigarette?” according to WFLA, which reported the same exchange documented in body-camera footage.
Cocaine, Marijuana and a Long List of Charges
Deputies searched the truck and said they located cocaine and other drugs inside, according to the sheriff's office. Per the Crave Online report drawing on the arrest record, Murray possessed at least 28 grams of cocaine. The sheriff's office also posted video of the arrest on Facebook, the seed report notes.
Murray was charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, three counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, and fleeing and eluding, according to WFLA and the seed reporting. Under Florida law, fleeing or eluding an officer after being ordered to stop is generally classified as a third-degree felony, with a second-degree felony reserved for cases involving high speed or wanton disregard for safety while police lights and sirens are active, according to Florida Statute § 316.1935. Separately, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia is typically a first-degree misdemeanor under Florida Statute § 893.147, though the statute does not specify which charge level applies in Murray's case.
A Pattern of Prior Run-Ins With Police
The sheriff's office described Murray as having an “extensive criminal history,” including prior drug charges, resisting an officer, grand theft, and battery. Per inmate records cited in the seed reporting, Murray's bond totaled over $44,000, and he remained in custody at the time of that report. He is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 16.
