A multi-county manhunt ended in a muddy swamp Wednesday morning after a wanted felon led deputies on a chaotic chase through Collier County in a rented U-Haul truck.
The drama began Tuesday night in neighboring Lee County, where 41-year-old Floyd Wiley Stuck allegedly committed multiple violent offenses. Lee County Sheriff’s deputies initially tracked him down and pulled him over, but Stuck managed to flee the scene, triggering a regional search.
By Wednesday morning, investigators with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Fugitive Warrants Bureau had picked up Stuck’s trail. Around 11:30 a.m., deputies spotted him driving a U-Haul truck near the busy intersection of Davis Road and Lakewood Boulevard and moved in to execute three violent offense warrants issued by Lee County.
Instead of pulling over, Stuck slammed on the gas.
The pursuit was cut short when CCSO deputies successfully deployed stop sticks, piercing the truck’s tires. Stuck lost control and crashed the U-Haul near Lakewood Boulevard and Boca Ciega Drive.
Refusing to give up, Stuck abandoned the wrecked truck and dashed on foot toward a nearby pond, plunging into the water to escape. His swim was short-lived. A CCSO K-9 unit arrived at the water’s edge, and the sight and sound of the police dog convinced Stuck to swim back to shore and surrender without further incident.
“We will not stand for violent criminals in our community. No matter where they come from or where they go, we will find them and remove them,” Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said following the arrest. “Our strong working relationship with our counterparts in Lee County allowed us to come together, catch this suspect, and deliver him to justice.”
Stuck is currently being booked into the Naples Jail Center. He faces fresh local charges of fleeing and eluding law enforcement before he is extradited back to Lee County to face his initial warrants.
READ: Clermont Man Cited After Deputy Catches Him Snatching Lobsters Out Of Season In Florida Keys
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