ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Detectives from St. Johns County Sheriff's Office's Major Crimes Unit joined forces with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force to arrest a man accused of attempted murder and eight other charges out of Maryland.
SJSO says fans of the show "Live P.D." may recognize 30-year-old Ryan Watson, who was featured on the show after police say he fled from Maryland, wanted on nine charges. In addition to first-degree attempted murder, those charges include second-degree attempted murder, armed robbery, robbery, various assault charges, theft and reckless endangerment with a weapon.
In a collaborative effort, SJSO and the U.S. Marshals acquired information that Watson was living under an alias in St. Johns County, where he had potentially lived for several years after fleeing Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Investigators formed a covert perimeter around the area, using a drone over Watson's home to track activity, SJSO says. Watson, whose alias was Sean Riley, left the home after hearing the drone hovering, and investigators were able to observe that he matched the suspect description, deputies say.
When investigators arrested Watson, they asked for his name, and he gave his alias, SJSO says. After being called "Ryan," SJSO says Watson replied "OK, you got me."
Watson was arrested and booked into the St. Johns County Jail, where the state of Maryland authorized him to be held for extradition, deputies say.
