A Destin man suspected of stealing a truck, causing a traffic crash with injuries, then fleeing into a storage building was no match for the persistence of OCSO deputies and a K9 Unit.
30 year old Thomas Carter Jr. is charged with aggravating fleeing and eluding with serious bodily injury, hit and run involving serious bodily injury, three counts of hit and run with injury, three counts of hit and run involving property damage, driving with a suspended license, resisting arrest, and felony violation of probation, as well as grand theft of a vehicle and larceny.
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies were pursuing the stolen truck on Friday, September 20 but called off the pursuit due to Carter’s reckless actions. Shortly thereafter, Carter hit another truck at the intersection of Highway 98 and Benning Drive, injuring several people, one seriously. Deputies searched and found the stolen truck ditched at a home on Lola Circle, set up a perimeter around the area, and called in an OCSO K9 Unit.
K9 Axel and handler Deputy Johnathan Duenas tracked Carter to the second floor of a three story storage building on Harbor Boulevard where Carter fled through a gap between the walls and ceiling.
After refusing to come out, deputies made entry into the storage unit and K9 Axel quickly apprehended Carter, who was then handcuffed and taken to the Okaloosa County Jail.
The investigation is continuing. Navarre Newspaper reminds our readers that Thomas Carter Jr. is presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
