A burglary spree that began with smashed windows outside Burn Boot Camp locations in Nocatee and along Longleaf Parkway ended violently Tuesday when three fleeing suspects slammed head-on into an innocent driver in Flagler County, killing the motorist.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said the gray Chevrolet Suburban was wanted in connection with multiple vehicle break-ins reported earlier in St. Johns County, including at the Burn Boot Camp fitness centers in Nocatee and Longleaf Parkway.
Deputies were alerted that the suspects had crossed into Flagler County, and their vehicle was soon spotted on South Old Kings Road in Palm Coast.
At about 12:30 p.m., deputies said the Suburban began racing south on Interstate 95. The driver exited onto Old Dixie Highway, where Stop Sticks were deployed to puncture its tires. But the SUV was equipped with anti-deflation technology, allowing it to continue at high speeds.
The suspects weaved dangerously through traffic, colliding with an FCSO patrol car before speeding ahead of pursuing units.
The chase reached the intersection of U.S. 1 and the I-95 exit ramp, where the Suburban suddenly turned left and crashed head-on into another vehicle.
Deputies immediately ran to aid the innocent victim, the sole occupant of the second vehicle, who was airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later died of injuries.
Authorities are withholding the victim’s identity pending notification of family.
After the collision, the suspects fled on foot toward a wooded area but were quickly taken into custody by pursuing deputies.
“It is with great sadness, the actions of these dirtbags resulted in the tragic loss of an innocent life,” Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement. “This crime spree started in St. Johns County with vehicle burglaries and ended violently with the death of an innocent person. This death is the direct result of the poor decisions made by these criminals who had no regard for the life of those around them.”
The Florida Highway Patrol is leading the crash probe. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is handling the Burn Boot Camp burglaries, while FCSO said it will review its deputies’ actions during the pursuit.
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