An Ocala man was charged with possession of methamphetamine and numerous other offenses after leading police on a chase that ended when he crashed the vehicle into a fence and tried to flee on foot.
Justin Lane Alvarez, 36, of 80 Bahia Trace, was also charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding police with property damage, knowingly driving while his license was suspended or revoked, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and resisting an officer without violence.
An Ocala Police officer tried to pull over Alvarez’s 2002 gray Chevy Trailblazer early Tuesday morning for a careless driving violation after observing him drive off the roadway on the 1600 block of NW 35th Avenue. Alvarez ignored the officer’s emergency lights and verbal commands over the public address speaker as he continued for 17 minutes at speeds approaching 60 mph, running numerous red lights and stop signs, according to the OPD report.
The vehicle came to a stop in the 800 block of SW 6th Avenue after crashing through a fence at a private business at 540 SW 8th St. Alvarez got out of the vehicle and ran until he was apprehended by officers at 915 SW 9th Ave. A taser was used to subdue him, the report said.
A search of the Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID) showed Alvarez’s license was revoked in November 2017. While searching Alvarez’s car, police found a cigarette pack containing a plastic bag with an off-white crystalline substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Alvarez was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released later Tuesday on $15,000 bond. A court date has not been set.