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Friday, March 29, 2024

Driver arrested after high-speed police chase in Leesburg

Trevor Knight
Trevor Knight

An Ocoee man was arrested for drunk driving after attempting to elude officers during a high-speed chase.

Police received a complaint Saturday that a white pickup truck pulling a white boat was driving recklessly on U.S. Hwy 441 northbound, according to arrest reports from the Leesburg Police Department.

At around 6 p.m., 24-year-old Trevor Dalton Knight was spotted aggressively changing lanes on Tomato Hill Road at a high rate of speed. He had both windows down and was wearing a baseball cap with no shirt when he passed an officer, the reports said.

The officer pulled out of his location and got behind Knight around North Lake Avenue, the reports said. Despite the officer’s emergency lights being activated, Knight did not stop. Instead, he accelerated and began changing lanes, barely missing other vehicles in the process.

The officer then activated his siren, but Knight sped up again after other vehicles moved for the officer. He continued to flee past Cloud Street at over 65 miles per hour. The officer canceled the traffic stop at around 6:08 p.m., the reports said.

Around ten minutes later, another officer was preparing to make a U-turn near Echo Drive when he noticed Knight following a sedan too close and traveling eastbound on U.S. Hwy. 441. When the officer began to pull out to catch up to him, Knight rapidly changed to the middle lane, cut off another vehicle and accelerated, the reports said.

Knight was stopped in traffic at a red light as the officer approached, the reports said. He was outside of his vehicle yelling at the driver behind him when the officer pulled into the turn lane to prevent him from escaping.

As the officer got closer, Knight jumped back into the driver’s seat and began placing the vehicle in drive. The officer pulled out his firearm and ordered Knight to step out of the vehicle with his hands up. Knight stepped out of the vehicle, asking the officer if he “really wanted to do this,” the reports said.

Knight complied with the officer by placing his hands behind his head and turning away, the reports said. He was then put in handcuffs and placed in the back of the officer’s patrol vehicle. During this interaction, the officer smelled alcohol on Knight’s breath.

After being taken to the Leesburg Police Department, Knight refused to submit to a breath test for his blood alcohol levels three times. He also declined to sign a criminal citation several times, the reports said.

Knight was charged with a first offense DUI, fleeing the police at a high speed with a disregard for public safety, and two counts of refusal to sign a citation. He was transported to the Lake County Jail after completing the booking process. Bond was set at $12,000.

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