Man arrested after fleeing from Deputies

A 48-year-old man from Bueno Aires, Argentina was arrested Wednesday night after Deputies used spikes to stop the vehicle he was driving.

Anibal Jaime Ferrera was charged with fleeing and eluding.

Deputy Jonathan Lane spotted a silver Kia Soul traveling 56 mph in a 35 mph zone northbound on U.S. 1 at Mile Marker 32. Deputy Lane attempted to make a traffic stop with his lights and siren on, but the Kia continued without stopping. The speed of the suspect vehicle began to fluctuate between 40 mph and 50 mph.

Deputy Corbin Hradecky set up spike strips on the north side of the Seven Mile Bridge on U.S.1. The spike strips deflated the Kia’s two front tires. The Kia stopped shortly thereafter. More Deputies assisted in the stop as well as the U.S. Border Patrol and the Florida Highway Patrol. The driver was ordered out of the car at gunpoint. The driver was identified as Ferrera.

There were three passengers in the Kia as well. They were not arrested.

Ferrera claimed that in his country, the police pull in front of you to pull you over. He claimed he was going to pull over at a service station, but Ferrera passed a gas station on Sunshine Key.  He also claimed he realized he was being pulled over on the Seven Mile Bridge, but he did not want to stop on the bridge. He then claimed he believed the vehicle in front of him was being pulled over, but there were no vehicles in front of him.

Ferrera was taken to jail.