Suspects fleeing in stolen car drag Florida deputy 30 feet

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. -- (WJXT) -- A St. Johns County deputy was dragged 30 feet last week when two suspects tried to speed away from a traffic stop in a stolen car, the Sheriff's Office said.

A white Kia Optima with a stolen license plate out of Brevard County was reported on U.S. 1 in St. Augustine on July 12.

When a St. Johns County deputy spotted the car in the parking lot of a Circle K, he conducted a traffic stop and the driver reversed the car toward his patrol vehicle, stopping just short of hitting the cruiser, deputies said.

The deputy walked up to the driver's side and smelled marijuana in the car, the Sheriff's Office said. The deputy told the driver to turn off the engine, and as he was talking to the driver, a woman ran up, got into the Kia and told the driver to “Go!”

According to the Sheriff's Office, the deputy tried to pull the driver out of the car, but he was wearing a seat belt, so the deputy reached in to release the buckle. That's when the woman put the vehicle in drive, and suspects sped off with the deputy still partially inside the car, deputies said.

The deputy was dragged about 30 feet and suffered minor injuries, the Sheriff's Office said.

The car, which was stolen out of Titusville but never reported, was found abandoned shortly after, deputies said.

They released surveillance pictures of the man and woman, asking anyone who can help identify them to contact Detective J. Cash at 904-293-3831 or at Jcash@sjso.org.