A Mount Dora man was arrested after fleeing from law enforcement in a stolen vehicle during a high-speed chase.
Police spotted a potentially stolen vehicle out of Eustis in an area of Leesburg at around 5:00 p.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.
The driver, later identified as 26-year-old Henry Lee Gamble-Coleman, went the speed limit and obeyed all stop signs while a deputy was behind him, the report said. The vehicle then stopped at a red light on South 14th Street. Law enforcement took the opportunity to position themselves around the stolen vehicle, including in front, before activating their lights to initiate a traffic stop.
The vehicle slowly moved slightly forward and then rapidly accelerated, striking the front passenger side of a patrol vehicle in the process. Gamble-Coleman proceeded to flee westbound while two deputies chased after him. A helicopter was able to maintain a visual on the vehicle, allowing the deputies in pursuit to disengage and begin slowing down, the report said.
The helicopter followed Gamble-Coleman westbound on State Road 44 into Sumter County where he entered a community off County Road 44 and Heritage Boulevard. Once in the neighborhood, the vehicle came to a stop as he began speaking with an individual, the report said.
Deputies then entered the neighborhood and found the vehicle, the report said. Another stop was attempted, but the vehicle once again began to flee. Stop sticks were successfully deployed and struck both passenger side tires. The vehicle made a right turn onto SR 44 where another set of stop sticks struck both driver’s side tires.
Despite this, Gamble-Coleman continued trying to flee at a slow speed on SR 44. He began to lose control of the vehicle, so deputies shut down the intersection ahead at SR 44 and CR 468. The vehicle made a left turn onto Weber Avenue in response. Due to it being a dead-end road, the vehicle pulled into the parking lot of 118 Weber Ave., the report said.
A deputy was directly behind the vehicle at that point, and he observed Gamble-Coleman exiting the driver’s seat and beginning to run northbound. He disobeyed the deputy’s orders, so a K9 was released. He was ultimately apprehended after that, the report said.
Once in custody, Gamble-Coleman refused to identify himself. He was only identified once he was taken to the Lake County Jail, the report said.
Gamble-Coleman was subsequently charged with grand theft auto, aggravated battery on law enforcement officer, fleeing to elude law enforcement officer, resisting without violence, driving while license suspended and fail to identify to law enforcement. Bond was set at $16,000.
