Man dies after trying to escape from police in Jacksonville retention pond

[jnelsoninjax]

The chase began about 11:15 p.m. when a DUI officer tried to stop the SUV the man was driving in the 9600 block of 103rd Street, said Director Tom Hackney of the Sheriff's Office.

Hackney said the SUV was clocked by radar going 65 mph in a 45-mph zone. He said the driver sped away when the officer tried to make the traffic stop.

He turned north on Monroe Smith Road alongside the West Ridge Apartment complex and jumped from the vehicle as it was still moving. The vehicle struck and crossed over a fence.

The officer, who learned the SUV had been stolen, stopped his vehicle, got out and caught up with the man as he was climbing a fence at the apartment complex. The officer gave the suspect several commands to stop, but the man refused, Hackney said. The officer then fired his Taser at the man, who was struck but continued over the fence.

The Taser prongs came off and he ran through the complex with the officer in pursuit. The officer once again tried to stop the suspect with his Taser but failed.

Hackney said the man ran into a retention pond and went under the water where the pond is about 8 to 10 feet deep.

The man did not reappear. The officer, joined by another officer, cut a volleyball net to throw to the man if he reappeared. Hackney said the officers decided not to pursue the man in the water out of concerns for their own safety.

Hackney said the Sheriff's Office dive team recovered the man

[Arachno 1D]

Self inflicted homicide by the sound of it, the officers did everything within reason to capture the offender without using their sidearm.

[Rippleman]

Someone will find a way to say "cops fault". Wait for it.

[xendrome]

Self inflicted homicide by the sound of it, the officers did everything within reason to capture the offender without using their sidearm.

 

Well it can't be "self-inflicted homicide" since the definition of a "homicide" is the killing of one person by another. It would simply be classified as an accidental drowning possibly due to hypothermia or similar.

[jnelsoninjax]

What is scary is that this is one block from where I live To me it sounds like suicide more then homicide...

[DocM]

What is scary is that this is one block from where I live To me it sounds like suicide more then homicide...

Suicide is classified as a homicide, and it makes up a super-majority of them.