Stuart - Friday April 19, 2024: A high-speed pursuit of a fleeing suspect by a Stuart police patrol vehicle Thursday evening ended in a multi vehicle crash that claimed the life of a 76 year old man.
A post on the Stuart Police Facebook page reports that the crash occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. when a Stuart officer tried to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle, but the driver of the vehicle fled, and the patrol officer gave chase.
Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is handling the investigation of the fatal crash.
A new release from FHP identifies the fleeing suspect as 23-year-old Jerauis Jean who was driving a silver Toyota Corolla. According to the release, Jean was fleeing at speeds up 80 MPH as he fled south on U.S. Highway #1 in Stuart.
Eventually Jean crashed with a Martin County transit bus, and then he ran into the back of an orange BMW. The impact sent the BMW into the rear of a black GMC Terrain.
The fatality occurred in the BMW being driven by the 76-year old man.
Jean was arrested and booked into the Martin County Jail.