A 19-year-old Florida man, who just walked away from a recovery center, busted a bold move by stealing a workers truck and Bobcat that ended with a gunshot and crash.
At 5:51 pm on Tuesday evening, officers responded to a call of a truck and trailer containing a Bobcat that was just stolen from the 700-Blk of NW Sable St.
Two workers had finished working when the suspect approached the job site on foot, entered the truck which was parked on the street, and then drove off with the trailer and Bobcat.
The workers ran to another vehicle and called 911 while they followed the suspect.
The suspect continued driving and became stuck in traffic at Bayshore Blvd and Prima Vista Blvd.
One of the workers exited their vehicle and ran next to the stolen truck while yelling at the suspect to stop. The suspect then swerved the stolen truck into the direction of the worker causing him to believe the suspect was trying to run him over.
According to police, this prompted the worker to discharge his firearm twice, with both projectiles striking the vehicle. The suspect was not injured and continued traveling west on Saint Lucie West Blvd.
An alert PSLPD Sergeant in the area observed the stolen truck attempting to make a U-Turn at Saint Lucie West Blvd and Country Club Dr when the truck struck a white Toyota traveling east which then crashed into a red Hyundai.
The trailer rolled over, and the suspect immediately exited the truck and began to flee on foot from Officers. The suspect ran through a golf course and was finally taken into custody in the 400-Blk of SW Fairway Landing.
Thankfully, the suspect did not injure the other drivers, police say.
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Officers later learned the suspect had walked away from a recovery center and planned on traveling to a family member’s house in the stolen truck. Cardona was arrested and is currently housed at the St. Lucie County Jail.
Port St. Lucie Police Officers arrested 19-year-old Raphael Cardona of Port St. Lucie for grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, criminal mischief, and resisting an officer.
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