A 23-year-old Orlando man was arrested early Sunday morning after leading law enforcement on a slow-speed pursuit in the Florida Keys.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, deputies first spotted a Honda sedan traveling 70 mph in the wrong lane near Mile Marker 13 on U.S. 1 at approximately 3:45 a.m. The driver, identified as Christhian Manuel Valdivia Castillo, failed to pull over when deputies attempted a traffic stop.
During the ensuing pursuit, Valdivia Castillo turned into a gas station, drove around the fuel pumps, and pulled back onto U.S. 1. Deputies successfully deployed tire-deflation spikes twice, which flattened all four of the vehicle’s tires.
Despite the damage, the driver continued to flee while ignoring the emergency lights and sirens of pursuing patrol cars. The vehicle’s speed eventually dropped to between 2 mph and 8 mph before Valdivia Castillo came to a final stop.
Valdivia Castillo was taken into custody and transported to the local jail. He faces charges of driving under the influence (DUI), fleeing and eluding, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Officials confirmed that no injuries were reported during the incident.
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