A 41-year-old Ocala man who told deputies he “likes to steal cars” after his arrest this weekend is accused of stealing a Marion County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle and leading law enforcement authorities on a chase.

On Saturday, October 26, an MCSO corporal was one of several deputies who responded to the 1500 block of SE 59th Street in reference to a “suspicious incident.” Upon arrival, contact was made with a man, James Marion Brady, who advised that he had “done drugs” and would like to “go to jail,” according to the arrest report.

An MCSO deputy noted in the report that Brady began “talking about people in the trees,” and he requested for two paramedics to respond to the incident location. He also allegedly said, “You better have your doors locked (because) I like to steal cars.”

According to the report, Brady proceeded to lay in the grass for a moment before saying “f*** it” and running towards the nearby patrol vehicles. He then allegedly entered a patrol vehicle, which belonged to an MCSO corporal, and he drove away from the incident location.

The corporal informed MCSO that an agency-issued rifle was inside the patrol vehicle at the time of the theft.

While in the stolen patrol vehicle, Brady allegedly fled westbound into an open field before traveling through a secondary entrance onto SE 52nd Street. The report stated that Brady soon turned onto S Pine Avenue, heading northbound at a high rate of speed toward the City of Ocala.

The Ocala Police Department joined the pursuit, which continued westbound onto SW 10th Street. An MCSO deputy unsuccessfully attempted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver, and Brady responded by allegedly decreasing his speed and turning the stolen patrol vehicle into the deputy’s vehicle, according to the report.

Another deputy managed to successfully perform a PIT maneuver on the stolen patrol vehicle at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and SW 10th Street, bringing the pursuit to an end. Brady was met by law enforcement officers after exiting the vehicle, and he was detained in handcuffs.

Brady was placed under arrest and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is being charged with fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, and armed burglary of a dwelling, structure, or conveyance.

A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.

Earlier this year, four people were killed after a 33-year-old Ocala woman crashed a stolen MCSO patrol vehicle into a pickup truck while fleeing from law enforcement.