KEY WEST, Fla. – Monroe County deputies said that when they saw John Vega riding his motorcycle at high speeds and weaving in and out of traffic, they started chasing him.
Deputy Nelson Sanchez said he saw Vega passing cars on the shoulder of the road. After he passed his patrol car, he turned on his lights and siren. Vega stopped for a moment, shrugged his shoulders and took off.
Sanchez followed. He called to deputies north of his location to be on the lookout for Vega, and he also warned deputies at at Coral Shores High School to keep kids from crossing.
Vega "continued north as several deputies tried to stop him," Deputy Becky Herrin said.
Sgt. Tom Kiffney called off the chase due to the dangerous speeds and heavy traffic, Herrin said. But deputies continued their search for the 35-year-old man from Hallandale Beach and eventually found him.
After deputies who were parked at the 99 mile marker reported not seeing Vega's motorcycle, Deputy Matt Koval narrowed his search. He found Vega at 21 Drury Drive in Key Largo, on Friday afternoon. He had changed his clothes in an attempt to disguise himself, but he couldn't fool Koval.
"I’m the guy," Vega said, according to Koval. "You got me!"
Vega said he fled because his driver’s license was suspended. Koval arrested him and he was in jail on Saturday facing charges of reckless driving, fleeing and eluding police, driving with his license suspended and resisting arrest.