JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Police documents say a Jacksonville man faces multiple charges, including possession of narcotics and marijuana after he led Jacksonville sheriff's officers on a high-speed police chase last week.
One officer's account says 35-year-old Romalice Cortez Spikes was driving so fast through the intersection of Commonwealth and Edgewood Avenues "sparks [flew] from underneath his vehicle" on Sept. 15 around 1:30 a.m.
The JSO officer proceeded to follow Spikes and witnessed him "aggressively cutting off other cars on the roadway and traveling into oncoming traffic to pass cars in a no-pass zone," the police report states.
As a result, the officer tried conducting a traffic stop in the 2800 block of Commonwealth Avenue, and the police report says Spikes slowed down to 40 mph and continued to drive several blocks before he stopped in the 960 block of Saranac Street.
The officer said, while he tried approaching the vehicle, Spikes sped off on south Saranac Street. The officer then pursued him and reported he observed Spikes reach speeds of up to 70 mph and "show signs of disregard for other motorist[s] on the roadway."
The officer said he lost sight of Spikes around 1:40 a.m. in the 2000 block of Edison Avenue.
About 20 minutes later, a second officer spotted a driver going through the intersection of Huron Street and Commonwealth Avenue at a high speed, which resulted in another chase with a top speed of 90 mph, according to a separate police report.
The second officer said he observed that driver, later identified as Spikes, run several stop signs and travel in the wrong direction at Huron and West 5th Streets, which caused two vehicles to run off the road.
The report says Spikes attempted to cross a grass lot at West 12th Street, but became stuck in the mud. After, he took off on foot and attempted to hide in the bushes along a fence at 2870 West 12th Street, the officer reported.
Police pulled out their weapons and ordered him to come out and lay flat on his stomach, but Spikes refused, they reported. A struggle then took place, but officers were able to handcuff him and take him into custody, the report says.
The police report also states that narcotics and a firearm were submitted as evidence.
Spikes now faces several charges, including but not limited to fleeing and eluding officers, reckless driving, possessing a firearm as a felon, resisting an officer and armed possession of over 10 grams of narcotics, cocaine and possession of 20 grams of marijuana, according to multiple police reports.
After looking up Spikes in their systems, police said they learned he was wanted on an active warrant for battery from an incident that stemmed from February, according to one police report.
