A suspect is in custody after a dramatic chase and intense manhunt that stretched across I-95, International Golf Parkway, and U.S. 1 on Thursday, drawing a massive law-enforcement response and prompting deputies to warn residents to avoid the area.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said the incident began earlier in the afternoon when deputies attempted a traffic stop on I-95.
The driver refused to stop, initiating a pursuit that moved into the International Golf Parkway area. Deputies performed a PIT maneuver to halt the vehicle, but the suspect fled on foot into nearby woods.
During the foot chase, investigators said the suspect stole a van and sped down International Golf Parkway toward U.S. 1.
The van was later abandoned near Abbotts Way, where deputies, K-9 units, and multiple air assets converged, tracking the suspect through thick woods and marshland.
Throughout the search, residents reported heavy law-enforcement activity, including helicopters overhead and road closures in the area.
Shortly after 8 p.m., Public Affairs Officer Taylor Levesque announced the suspect had been located and taken into custody without further incident.
No injuries to deputies or bystanders were reported.
Thursday’s chaos comes days after police shot and killed an armed man, Kristopher Johnson, 43, along a nearby stretch of US 1 after he attempted to gun down a coworker.
