06/29/15 Volusia County, FL – 17 Year Old Arrested For Stolen Truck – Handcuffed In Patrol Car – Steals Deputy’s Patrol Car – Deputy Jumped Out Of The Way – Crashes Into Fence

June 29, 2015

news-journalonline.com

A DeLand teenager faces a litany of charges after authorities say he escaped the custody of Volusia County deputy and stole a patrol car Sunday afternoon.
Hezekiah Perry, 17, was charged with escape, grand theft auto, depriving an officer of communication, three counts of grand theft of a firearm, armed burglary of a conveyance, grand theft of law enforcement equipment, felony criminal mischief, unlawful use of a police badge or insignia, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, driving without a license, and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer in connection with the incident, according to sheriff’s spokesman Gary Davidson.

A Volusia County deputy took Perry in custody about 2 p.m. Sunday after spotting the teen driving a pickup that was reportedly stolen Saturday afternoon from a South Montgomery Street driveway.

According to officials, the deputy noticed the vehicle backing out of an apartment complex along South Delaware Avenue. A passenger in the truck jumped out and fled the scene as the officer approached. Perry was arrested and charged him with grand theft of a motor vehicle and driving without a license, stemming from Saturday’s theft.

The deputy transported Perry to a sheriff’s district office on South Woodland Boulevard in DeLand. According to officials, the officer was inside the office processing paperwork for the arrest when Perry managed to escape from the backseat of a patrol car at 4:48 p.m. Davidson noted he was handcuffed at the time, but was able to slip out of the cuffs. Reports indicate the teen got into the squad car’s front seat and drove away from the district office. Officials note the deputy had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over as the teen sped away from the Sheriff’s Office building.

Authorities located the vehicle abandoned in DeLand on an access road near Green Street and South Parsons Avenue about five minutes later, Davidson said. The car was damaged from a collision with a fence. Officers were able to locate and recapture Perry at 5:49 p.m. Davidson noted the deputy’s firearms were in the patrol car at the time it was stolen. The firearms were not taken.

Officials said Perry will be transported to the Volusia Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Daytona Beach.