An Ocala man was arrested Thursday after leading police on a high-speed chase through multiple red lights and stop signs while forcing other drivers to take evasive action to avoid colliding with him.
Christopher Devine Jackson, 31, allegedly gave a false name to the officers who stopped him. When they told him they knew his true identity, Jackson drove away and the chase ensued.
Police were first called to the Berkley Pointe Apartments, 2861 NE 7th St., about a man named Christopher Jackson repeatedly knocking on a door and not going away. The person calling the police said the man had a small handgun and possibly a warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
When officers arrived on the scene, they stopped a green Nissan Pathfinder they believed Jackson was driving. The driver initially cooperated and said his name was Christopher West, but he fled when confronted about his real name, an Ocala Police report states.
The chase continued westbound on NE 7th Street, southbound on NE 25th Avenue, westbound onto NE 3rd Street, and southbound onto 8th Avenue. Jackson then turned west onto State Road 40, where he reached a speed of approximately 65 mph. He was able to avoid stop sticks that were deployed at SRÂ 40 and Pine Avenue and continued west until reaching SW 11th Avenue, where he turned south. Jackson then turned eastbound onto SW Fort King Street before pulling into the driveway of the registered owner of the vehicle, the report says.
Jackson was taken into custody without incident. No firearms or other illegal substances were found during a search of the vehicle.
A records search showed that Jackson’s Florida driver’s license was revoked in 2008, and that he has two prior convictions of driving with a suspended license. He also was convicted of fleeing or attempting to elude in 2008.
Once at the Marion County Jail, it was discovered Jackson had an active warrant for failure to appear on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a third offense of driving with a suspended license, possession of Methylendixyalphethylam, possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis and resisting without violence.
New charges resulting from the chase included fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, resisting an officer without violence, giving a false name to law enforcement and driving while license is suspended or revoked.
Jackson is being held without bond. His next appearance in Marion County Court is scheduled for April 23.