Fort Pierce - Friday July 5, 2024: After leading authorities on a high speed chase Thursday night, crashing into another vehicle causing injury, fleeing that crash, getting shot at by police, 40-year-old Lance Evans of Sebastian was finally stopped by a pursing St. Lucie County Deputy who bumped the rear corner of Evans' pick-up in a P.I.T maneuver bringing the vehicle to a stop in Fort Pierce.
Evans still attempted to get away on foot but he got tased, taken into custody, and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail. He is now facing multiple charges including assault on an officer, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, aggravated fleeing with injury, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a crash and DUI.
The injured person in the hit-and-run crash was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
It started about 10:40 PM Thursday night when a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper conducting speed enforcement on I-95 in Indian River County began to pursue a Toyota pick-up truck in the northbound lanes traveling at 95 MPH. When the Trooper gave chase, lights and sirens blaring, the pickup driver accelerated and began weaving in and out of traffic, reaching speeds of up to 155 MPH at certain times.
Soon after entering St. Lucie County, the pick-up driver got off at the Indrio Road exit where St. Lucie County Deputies joined the pursuit.
The suspect quickly got back onto I-95 heading the other way, south, down to the next exit, State Road 70 where he got off and turned left onto eastbound State Road 70.
Fort Pierce Police were now involved. The driver was observed running several red lights on SR 70 and eventually crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of Sunrise Blvd, causing non-life threatening injuries to the occupant of that vehicle.
Surrounded by police commanding him to get out and give up, the suspect got his pick-up moving again and took off, nearly hitting several officers then on foot around him. One of those officers, a Sargent with the St, Lucie County Sheriff's office, fired a shot damaging the pick-up. The suspect was not hit, and continued speeding north on Sunrise Blvd.
The Sargent who fired the shot was in close pursuit and managed to bump the rear corner of Evans' vehicle in a P.I.T maneuver, finally bringing the pick-up to a stop.
Yet Evans still attempted to get away on foot, but he got tased. taken into custody, and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail.
Evans was already a convicted felon with an extensive criminal record.