By TomL
The Villages / Lady Lake Florida.
Approximately 9:30 AM, Sunday Feb. 10th, Paramedics were called to assess a man who was acting strangely and saying “people are eating brains out”. The Lady Lake Police Department was called to assist. A Villages security guard pulled up and left his vehicle running. The accused just got into the security Community Watch vehicle and drove off, leaving the paramedics and LLPD. The chase began!
Two Lady Lake police cars went on a high speed chase through the densely populated residential area, then chasing him onto a Golf Course endangering many lives as the two Lady Lake Police cars pursued the man in the Villages Security car. One golfer witness said the vehicles actually came flying over the hill landing, then fishtailing out of control. One lady golfer reported they had to run for cover. The lady said they actually ran over her golf towel. The high speed pursuit caused two accidents, injuring one driver. Luckily they were minor injuries. The lady said her hip was hurting.
After chasing the perp through the streets, passed many houses they finally wound up on the Golf Course where the chase went out onto 441 and then headed back toward the another Villages residential area, but crashed the car and ran. He was chased on foot by the two officers and was caught!
A lot of comments followed by eye witnesses. One, a representative from the Golf Course said there was at least $7,000 damage minimum.
Publishers Notes: I have questions?
Question: Is it normal procedure to give chase? What are the Criteria?
Answer: The Lady Lake pursuit policy is for a forcible felony only. A stolen car is not one of those accepted criteria!
Question: Why was the Community Watch car left running so the perp could steal it?
Answer: Up until now it was policy to leave the vehicles running because the flashing lights on the roof would kill the battery. Community Watch people should not leave them unattended while the motor is running. Community Watch people are only supposed to report to the command center.
Question: How did the News Media get the LLPD Chase videos so fast? Who released them during an investigation? The accused did have pending warrants out of Georgia, but no one knew that until after the chase.
Answer: We will wait for that answer!
Right now and for several months there has been a big controversy over the Town Manager overseeing the Lady Lake Police department, which the Town Charter dictates. Three of the Town Council members voted not to review the Town Charter. The Town Manager is a smart and dedicated person but she can’t replace the experience of an officer of thirty years. The Chief that just left had more experience than that! As you can see by this incident he will be missed! It is my opinion he would have called the chase off and maybe followed the person quietly from a distance and take him without a chase. The Town of Lady Lake is liable for these actions! The people/residents/voters who attended meetings have ask the Town Council to fix this problem. They would not! Belleview and Wildwood Police Departments do not report to the Town Manager.
What is your opinion? tloury@att.net
