MARATHON, Fla. — Deputies in Monroe County announced they arrested a 25-year-old man on several felony charges.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said they took Aaron Tipsford, of Marathon, into custody on Wednesday.
According to deputies, they made contact with Tipsword several times on Tuesday night “due to his erratic behavior” but said that he did not meet the criteria to be Baker Acted.
After a family member later requested a welfare check on Tipsword, deputies said they observed him driving a Honda SUV around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday near Mile Marker 30 on Big Pine Key.
Authorities said during a traffic stop, Tipsword’s “speech pattern was abnormal” and that “he had difficulty completing sentences and was wearing a heavy jacket and gloves despite warm temperatures.”
The high temperature in Big Pine Key on Wednesday morning was 84 degrees.
When deputies asked Tipsword to provide his driver’s license, they said he took off and proceeded to speed past several vehicles, reaching speeds of 120 mph on U.S. 1.
Authorities said they used tire spikes on Tipsword’s vehicle several times before he eventually turned onto 39th Street in Marathon and struck a boulder before being taken into custody.
The sheriff’s department said that a deputy suffered an injury to her hand while deploying the spikes and was treated on Wednesday at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
Tipsword is facing charges of DUI causing serious bodily injury, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, dangerous/excessive speeding, criminal mischief with property damage, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
As of Thursday morning, he was being held at MCSO’s Key West jail facility on no bond.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
