SAINT AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A man was arrested Tuesday morning after the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said he led deputies on a chase in a stolen U-Haul truck.
Deputies were dispatched just after 7:30 a.m. regarding a stolen U-Haul truck with an Arizona license plate driving west on State Road 16 from Interstate 95, the arrest report said. The truck was spotted by deputies at SR-16 and SR-13 North.
The report said a deputy tried to conduct a traffic stop but the driver refused to stop. The deputy then pursued the vehicle and stop sticks were deployed twice but to no avail, according to the report.
Eventually, the U-Haul truck approached the intersection of SR-16 and Interstate-95 where a GMC Acadia was stopped at a red light. The sheriff's office said the U-Haul intentionally struck the Acadia, pushing it into traffic at the intersection.
The U-Haul then continued to drive off even as it lost all of its tires, according to the report. Finally the U-Haul, only driving on its rims at this point, turned south onto Four Mile Road, striking a few curbs, driving over a round-about and finally getting stuck on Live Oak Street, the report said.
That's when the suspect, 22-year-old Joshua Nelson, exited the truck and fled on foot, according to deputies. He was soon arrested on Lena Street.
The sheriff's office confirmed the truck was stolen out of Jacksonville and that Nelson was never issued a driver's license and was on probation for armed robbery.
Nelson is facing multiple charges including grand theft auto, aggravated assault, reckless driving and aggravated fleeing and eluding.