CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A man is in custody after a suspected carjacking that ended with the man crashing into a deputies' car.
At approximately 11:48 a.m. Tuesday, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a notification that a tag associated with a vehicle involved in an armed robbery or carjacking out of Duval County, driven by 27-year-old Elijah Bell, was in the area of Blanding Boulevard and Constitution Drive.
Bell was charged with two counts of fleeing and eluding at high speed and three counts of leaving the scene of an accident. His Duval County charges include armed robbery, carjacking with a firearm or deadly weapon and kidnapping.
A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report said that on Friday afternoon Bell struck a man and took his black 2017 F-150 near 5374 110th St., also taking $1,200 and the victim's cellphone.
Deputies trailed the suspect vehicle near a gas station, attempted a felony traffic stop, but Bell fled north on Blanding, according to authorities. CCSO and Florida Highway Patrol pursued the vehicle. Bell then led deputies to Charles Pickney Drive where he drove through a backyard, over and trampoline and swing set, and took a service road before entering Country Club Boulevard, police said.
Police said as the pursuit neared the intersection of Blanding Boulevard and Collins Road in Duval County, Bell rammed a CCSO vehicle and crashed into several other vehicles in traffic. Troopers arrested Bell near Parramore Road and Collins Road and he was taken to a nearby hospital for possible drug ingestion.
Deputies exited their vehicles and took the suspect into custody. FHP is currently investigating the crash and both JSO and CCSO are conducting investigations to determine additional charges.