MARTIN COUNTY — A Port St. Lucie man was arrested after deputies stopped a fleeing vehicle following a high-speed chase that began on U.S. 1 and ended on Interstate 95, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies on the sheriff’s office midnight shift spotted a white BMW traveling at excessive speeds southbound on U.S. 1 near Britt Road. Authorities said the driver, identified as 37-year-old Joshua Phillip Thebeau, posed a danger to other motorists.
Deputies attempted a traffic stop, but Thebeau accelerated and did not pull over. The pursuing deputies briefly followed before ending the chase because of safety concerns for nearby drivers.
Authorities said the sheriff’s office aviation unit, Air One, continued monitoring the vehicle from above while deputies coordinated their positions on the ground.
As the BMW entered Interstate 95 southbound, deputies moved into place and conducted a vehicle intervention technique, bringing the car to a controlled stop.
Thebeau was arrested and told deputies he fled because his driver’s license was suspended, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies also reported finding used needles and what appeared to be baggies containing methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
Thebeau was taken to the Martin County Jail and booked on a $22,500 bond.