A chase late Wednesday night that criss-crossed the heart of Lake City ended with a fatal wreck on U.S. Highway 90 just west of downtown.
When a Columbia County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to pull over a vehicle for a traffic infraction around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, the driver — a 40-year-old Lake City man — accelerated instead of stopping, according to a CCSO release.
Other deputies responded to assist as a pursuit was initiated, the release states.
Sgt. Steven Khachigan, the public information officer for the CCSO, said the pursuit began on Baya Dr. near SE Church Avenue just east of the Lake City VA Medical Center.
The suspect drove west on Baya Dr. until he reached U.S. 90 where he headed east and drove out of town. Khachigan said they turned around near State Highway 100A and headed back west on U.S. 90.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the driver then lost control of his car, a sedan, hitting the center median curbing near the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 90 and NW Eadie St. in front of the Duval Place and rolled over several times around 11:40 p.m.
The CCSO release states that when the deputies approached the crash, the car was on fire and deputies pulled a passenger from the vehicle. The passenger, a 34-year-old Lake City man, sustained only minor injuries and told deputies someone else had been driving.
Deputies canvassed the scene and found the driver, who had been ejected from the vehicle, administering first aid until EMS arrived and transported the man to Lake City Medical Center.
The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt according to FHP, was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
“This incident highlights the importance of complying with law enforcement,” Sheriff Mark Hunter said in the release. “This tragedy could have been prevented if the suspect would have simply cooperated with our deputy. We are grateful no other citizens were injured from this suspect’s reckless actions. Our thoughts and prayers are with the suspect’s family.”
FHP continues to investigate the crash.