A 20-year-old Florida man is behind bars following a chaotic Thursday evening that saw a high-speed chase end in a physical struggle with a police dog.
Angelo Acree faces multiple charges after authorities say he led deputies on a dangerous pursuit through busy intersections before crashing his motorcycle and attempting to hide in the woods.
The incident began when Deputy Spinella of the 4th Precinct spotted a motorcycle revving its engine and weaving through traffic on Ben Hill Griffin Parkway.
When the bike stopped at the intersection of FGCU Lake Parkway West, the deputy noticed the license plate was bent upward to hide the numbers. However, the attempt at a routine traffic stop quickly spiraled when Acree allegedly pulled a sudden U-turn and sped away, ignoring sirens and cutting off other drivers.
READ: Florida Man Hit With Prison Time And $800K Penalty For Global Laundering Ring
Deputies tried to box the motorcycle in a second time near the PDQ on Gulf Center Drive. While it initially looked like Acree was pulling over, police report he suddenly tried to weave through traffic, resulting in a collision with a red Toyota RAV4. The motorcycle also hit Deputy Spinella’s patrol car during the scramble.
Abandoning the wrecked bike, Acree reportedly took off on foot into the thick brush behind University Plaza Drive. The search shifted gears when Deputy Van Helden and K9 Sky arrived to track the scent through the dense vegetation.
When K9 Sky located the suspect, the situation turned physical. According to arrest reports, Acree resisted by grabbing the dog’s head and pinning it to the ground in an effort to break free.
“This crazy behavior put community members, my family members, and one of our K9’s at risk,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said following the arrest. “I am thankful our Patrol Deputies worked together to quickly to get this man off of our streets.”
Acree was eventually subdued and transported to the Lee County Jail. He is currently facing charges of fleeing and eluding, obstruction, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, and harming a police K9.
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
