[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 01/03/20]
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OCOEE, Florida — A 24-year-old man suspected of burglarizing a business fled from a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy in Sorrento in a stolen truck Friday afternoon through Lake and Orange counties and rammed two deputies on the Florida Turnpike, said LCSO Lieutenant John Herrell.
Darren Austin Mercer of Eustis is suspected of burglarizing Ranger Construction on County Road 46A overnight and security cameras captured the suspect’s vehicle — a flatbed Dodge Dually stolen from Orange County. An LCSO deputy who was patrolling in Sorrento Friday afternoon, saw the vehicle and attempted to stop it near County Road 437, Herrell said.
Mercer, 24, fled in the Dually pulling a trailer and traveled to State Road 429; additional law enforcement agencies began to assist and Mercer hit stop sticks on State Road 429 deployed by LCSO and then hit a second set of stop sticks deployed by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Interstate 4, Herrell said.
The pursuit continued, and Mercer, driving only on rims, made his way back to the northbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike, where he rammed two LCSO deputies. The deputies were not injured, Herrell said. The pursuit ended on the Florida Turnpike at West Colonial Drive in Ocoee.
Mercer was taken into custody and will be booked into the Lake County Jail. He is charged with burglary of a construction site, fleeing and eluding, grand theft, two counts of grand theft auto, and two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. He may be facing charges in other jurisdictions, Herrell said. Mercer is being held on a total bond of $48,000.
An unidentified female passenger is being questioned to determine if any charges will be filed against her, Herrell said.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. In addition, she has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
