A Leesburg man who fled police at over 100 mph was apprehended after colliding with a sign at a traffic plaza in The Villages.
A deputy was following the driver of a Chevrolet SUV, later identified as 32-year-old Skyler Gabrielle Jones, on Griffin Road at 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. He drove the vehicle at 52 mph in a 45 mph zone.
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As the Chevy turned south into County Road 468, the deputy activated the traffic stop lights and sirens. However, the vehicle drove south and fled at high speed. The deputy began remote tracking surveillance and was able to watch the vehicle’s movements, according to the report.
The Chevy turned west on State Road 44 toward Sumter County, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. It continued into Sumter County, where it attempted to turn into the Lake Deaton Shopping Plaza, located at 695 Kristine Way in The Villages. Jones lost control and drove into the massive stone sign at the plaza’s entrance, rendering the car unusable, according to the report.
Two deputies arrived shortly after and discovered Jones sprinting northbound through the parking lot. Following a brief foot chase in which he refused to lie on the ground, he was securely apprehended and handcuffed. He immediately claimed that passengers in the vehicle “told him to go” and that he was “scared for his life.” The deputy never asked if he was the driver, but he confirmed it multiple times, according to the report.
Jones began complaining of hip pain and was transported by Sumter EMS to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, 600 E Dixie Ave., for medical clearance. Meanwhile, a check of his driving record revealed that he did not have a legal license, which had been suspended since 2021 for failure to pay a citation and failure to appear. According to the article, he had previously been charged with driving while his license was suspended.
Jones was later arrested on counts of fleeing/eluding with wanton disregard, driving with a suspended license, and resisting arrest without violence. He was taken to the Lake County Jail and freed after paying a $7,000 bond.
