A 23-year-old Williston man was arrested after stealing a vehicle and fleeing from deputies.
On Monday, October 25, around 6 p.m., a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy received a report of a stolen Ford Fiesta near Dogwood Road and SE 58th Avenue.
After performing a security check in Ralph Russell Park (1690 Pine Road), the deputy spotted a Ford Fiesta matching the stolen vehicle’s description traveling westbound on Pine Road.
The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, later identified as Shervontay Lucas Roundtree, turned into a nearby parking lot and pulled into a parking space.
The deputy followed into the parking lot. Roundtree quickly backed his vehicle out of the space and attempted to head back onto Pine Road.
The deputy activated his emergency lights and attempted to block the exit to the parking lot, but Roundtree was able to maneuver his vehicle around the patrol car.
Activating the sirens, the deputy watched Roundtree speed out of the parking lot and westbound onto Pine Road.
While fleeing, Roundtree ran a red light at the intersection of Pine Road and SE Maricamp Road, and he collided with another vehicle.
Roundtree climbed out of the vehicle and ran westbound on foot towards a parking lot at the 6000 block of SE Maricamp Road. Several deputies caught up to him and were able to apprehend him.
Roundtree admitted to fleeing from the deputy. He stated that he was unsure why he was being followed, so that was why he did not stop.
He told the deputy that he ran away after the collision for the same reason.
He also told detectives that three days prior, he was at a Marathon Gas Station on Highway 40 in Ocala when a man approached him, stated he looked like he needed a ride, and the man gave him the keys to the vehicle.
He was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he faces multiple felony charges including grand theft and eluding police.
He is currently being held on $65,000 bond, and a court date has been scheduled for November 30 at 9:00 a.m., according to jail records.