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Auto Theft Suspect Arrested After High Speed Chase Ends in 3-Car Crash With Serious Injury

Indian River County - Monday March 13, 2023: The Indian River County Sheriff's Office Friday released a video of a high speed chase with injury that resulted in the arrest of 20 year old Richard Harris of Fort Lauderdale.

According to a release from the the Sheriff, on the afternoon of Thursday March 2 Deputies responded to the IG Center located at 1590 9th Street SW in Florida Ridge, after receiving a report of 3 men breaking into parked vehicles. The release states that the men are believed to have broken into 25 or 30 vehicles at that location.

One of the suspects was identified driving a stolen white new model BMW 430i. The vehicle information was entered into the license plate reader technology and an hour later the vehicle was located in the northern part of Indian River County.

A patrol Sergeant found the BMW in the parking lot of the Sebastian Barber Street Sports Complex. The Sergeant attempted to stop the vehicle but the suspect rammed the BMW he was driving into the front of the Sergeant's patrol car, states the release from the IRCSO. The officer was not injured.

The suspect then fled the scene driving recklessly, driving on the sidewalk, and around stopped vehicles, traveling at speeds up to 90 mph, all of which was recorded by the IRCSO helicopter that followed the vehicle.

As the vehicle fled southbound on 90th Avenue it made an abrupt U-turn and soon after ran into three other vehicles resulting in one person being transported to the hospital. Two of the vehicles were disabled and the third had minor damage.

Harris exited the BMW he was driving and he was taken into custody at gunpoint. He has been charged with; reckless driving resulting in serious bodily injury, aggravated fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, driving with no valid license as well as numerous counts of auto burglary.

Harris is currently being held in the Indian River County Jail on a $530,000 bond. The IRCSO is continuing to search for the other suspects.