Wild Police Pursuit Through Santa Rosa County

January 25, 2013

A Navarre man was arrested early this morning after a wild police pursuit traveled for miles through Santa Rosa County, ending outside Jay with wrecked patrol cars, injured deputies, a suspect subdued by a K-9, and the suspect charged with attempted murder.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office first responded to a domestic disturbance in Navarre about 9 p.m. Suspect Dominic Turner was sitting in his Lexus in his driveway when deputies arrived. Ignoring orders to exit the Lexus, he fled the scene and deputies were unable to locate him.

At 11:43 p.m., a patrol deputy spotted Turner at Highway 90 and Watkins Street in Pace. The deputy attend to conduct a traffic stop, but Turner refused to yield and led the deputy on a lengthy pursuit through Pace and Milton.

Numerous times during the pursuit, Turner drove against the flow of traffic in the opposite lane. Turner also swerved at patrol vehicles in an attempt to strike them. “spike strips” were deployed at numerous locations throughout the pursuit, but Turner was able to avoid them.  During one deployment of the “spike strips”, Turner saw the deputy deploying the strips and sharply turned and left the roadway into the grass, maliciously aiming his vehicle at the deputy, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

As Turner drove his vehicle off the roadway into the grass, the deputy ran in an attempt to avoid being struck, but was still hit and thrown though the air. Turner’s vehicle went approximately 30 feet off the roadway at Highway 90 and Pond Creek, striking the deputy and a large tree. Despite significant damage to his Lexus, Turner was able to flee from deputies once again. Turner also hit another deputy’s  vehicle during the chase.

The pursuit continued north of Highway 87 and came to an end near Pleasant Grove Road after  the Lexus was unable to continue. Turner refused to comply with deputies trying to take him into custody and actively fought with officers.

A K-9 was then deployed, which was able to overtake the suspect. Turner continued to fight and resist arrest. Turner was then taken into custody and transported to Santa Rosa Hospital. He was treated for lacerations from the K-9 apprehension, then released and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail.

The deputy that was struck by Turner was also taken to Santa Rosa Hospital where it was determined that he sprained his knee and had numerous cuts and bruises. He was treated and
released. During the struggle with Turner, another deputy suffered multiple fractures to his finger.

Turner charged with attempted felony murder for  striking a deputy with his vehicle. He was also charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, and fleeing/eluding a law enforcement officer with injuries and/or damage. Turner was also charged with the original domestic violence charges from the incident in Navarre. He was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail without bond.

Comments

14 Responses to “Wild Police Pursuit Through Santa Rosa County”

  1. David Huie Green on January 26th, 2013 3:10 pm

    Good thing they got him when they did, otherwise he might have just blended in, unnoticed, among the folks of Jay.

    David considering a close call

  2. Thankful Citizen of SR on January 26th, 2013 10:51 am

    @ New to Century…..The following charges below will more than likely get him a prison sentence for sure.

    Charged with attempted felony murder for striking a deputy with his vehicle. He was also charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, and fleeing/eluding a law enforcement officer with injuries and/or damage.

    Florida does NOT play when it comes to our LEO’s!

  3. Kimberly on January 26th, 2013 9:34 am

    I guess there will always be at least one hmmm in the crowd! Way to go Santa Rosa LEO and K-9 Unit! Prayers going out to the Officer’s and the victim.

  4. Hmmm on January 26th, 2013 7:23 am

    I wonder how serious of a domestic disturbance he made to warrant such a. In depth high speed chase. I thought they were supposed to only persue in such a way after violent offenders such as someone that is armed, etc. with this type of chase, innocent people could have been injured. Now our tax dollars will be paying for body work to patrol cars and god knows what else.
    They should have been allowed to shoot his tires out or something to stop him from driving off.

  5. Jane on January 26th, 2013 5:58 am

    Congratulations to LEO and I hope the deputies that were injured recover well and quickly! The K-9 who caught the suspect deserves a big steak!!!! I have to say, if they had shot the suspect I think they would have been justified (and if the aim was good it might have saved the taxpayers some money).

  6. Ben Thar on January 25th, 2013 11:46 pm

    Hats off to the deputies for showing restraint. If put into the same situation, I don’t know if I could resist the temptation to beat or shoot someone like this.

  7. thats a good boy on January 25th, 2013 7:09 pm

    If there is an in car video, I bet it is great. Dog’s are excellent tools, and are worth their weight in gold.

  8. poplardell on January 25th, 2013 5:42 pm

    Hope the officer recovers quickly.
    It’s a shame they continued deploying spike strips. Should have been deploying shotgun rounds to prevent anyone from being injured.

  9. Avalon on January 25th, 2013 2:05 pm

    Thanks to SRSO for the great work. Prayer for the deputies. I hope the suspect gets serious prison time when he has his day in court.

  10. Walnut Hill on January 25th, 2013 1:26 pm

    Great Job, Law Enforcement! Good dog, too!

  11. RobH on January 25th, 2013 12:26 pm

    Let’s hope the DA and the Judge share our feelings about locking this criminal up. Anyone that would commit these crimes does not deserve to be free to harm others.

  12. Outraged on January 25th, 2013 10:33 am

    This case is a perfect example of why law enforcement should be allowed to deploy a bazooka instead of spike strips!

  13. new to Century on January 25th, 2013 9:51 am

    Was this man drunk? or just crazy? A DV charge doesn’t get you life in prison but murder does! This is just insane!!!!!!

  14. Cantonment Mom on January 25th, 2013 9:31 am

    He looks pretty good for someone that was taken down by a K-9 unit. All those LEOs hurt b/c this guy wanted to run from a DV charge. Hope he likes prison. I doubt he will get out of the attempted murder charge for rnning down the LEO. Prayers for the injured officers! Thank you to all the officers that got this dangerous man off the streets!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News