Two wanted men are behind bars after a joint law enforcement operation in Dixie County led to a foot chase through the woods and a barricade inside a camper.
The incident started Friday when Dixie County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived to serve felony warrants. They were backed up by the Cross City Police Department Drone Team, as well as K-9 units from both the Cross City Correctional Institution and the Taylor Correctional Institution.
When officers arrived at the scene, Ernest Edward Holifield ran away on foot into a nearby wooded area. The responding units tracked him through the trees and eventually found him hiding out in thick brush. Officers took him into custody on an outstanding warrant for petit theft (third or subsequent offense) and added a new charge for resisting an officer without violence.
During the same operation, deputies also located Christopher Alan Holifield. He had locked and barricaded himself inside a fifth-wheel camper. Police eventually breached the standoff and took him into custody. He faces a new charge of resisting an officer, alongside his outstanding warrant for a probation violation.
Following the arrests, the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office publicly thanked the drone and K-9 teams for their teamwork. In a released statement, the department noted that the partner agencies’ “willingness to respond and assist plays a vital role in helping keep our community safe.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
