MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Police have taken a man into custody after a high-speed chase through South Florida highways and streets, where the driver was at times traveling in the direction of oncoming traffic.
Sky 10 was over the scary situation Thursday morning as a black Mazda 3 sedan weaved recklessly, at one point whipping northbound on I-75 through southbound express lanes, dodging unsuspecting other drivers as officers pursued.
The car, which investigators say was stolen, was clocked around 120 mph during the pursuit.
Authorities say there were no injuries as a result of the chase, though several cars were clipped along the way.
Watch a replay of the pursuit below:
Detective Argemis Colome of the Miami-Dade Police Department said the pursuit began after Opa-locka police tried to confront a suspect, later identified as Jonathan Craig, 25, about an armed carjacking that took place in that city two days ago.
Live video from Sky 10 showed the car racing through I-95, making its way to the Gratigny Parkway, then onto I-75 before heading to the Palmetto Expressway and eventually onto State Road 112.
The driver ultimately stopped the car and surrendered at NW 43rd Street and NW 22nd Court in Miami-Dade County shortly after 11 a.m.
He put his hands up and got on the ground, seemingly listening to officers’ instructions as they moved in and apprehended him.
“The way it turned out was amazing,” Colome said. “No injuries to anybody.”
WATCH LIVE: Police give latest updates on high-speed chase in South FloridaMiami-Dade police are investigating the high-speed chase that took place through streets and highways Thursday morning and are set to reveal details that have been learned so far.
Posted by WPLG Local 10 on Thursday, January 7, 2021
Local 10 News spoke to Xavier Barker, who owns the Mazda 3 and said it was stolen from him a couple of days ago.
He said he noticed the car at a gas station by 135th Street and NW 27th Avenue and called police. When they arrived, that’s when the nearly hour-long chase began.
“Once the police came and surrounded him, he pulled off and the chase started,” Barker said.
It appeared that at one point a gun was thrown from the car during the chase, police said.
Colome said the man who was apprehended will face multiple felony charges and that Miami-Dade PD will be the lead agency handling the investigation.
“The way we saw this individual drive today,” Colome said, “it was unreal.”
According to the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation website, Craig is facing charges of armed carjacking, grand theft of a vehicle and fleeing and eluding police. He also faces charges for an unrelated warrant for reckless driving and driving without a valid license.