Florida man hurls baby at deputies during pursuit, cop makes life-saving catch in dramatic video
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA: In an attempt to save himself from police, a suspect threw his baby at them during a high-speed chase. However, the two-month-old was heroically saved by a cop who caught him in mid-air, and suspect John Henry James III was also arrested and is now facing a number of charges.
According to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, the 32-year-old man was driving his white Nissan Rogue recklessly along 20th Street, near I-95 on the evening of May 26. An officer tried to stop him, but instead of pulling over, he continued to drive, which prompted a high-speed chase, featuring roadblocks and police cruisers. Vice units finally had to use a spike strip to stop the car, which led deputies into the Taylor Point Apartment Complex.
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However, James reportedly did not surrender himself there and tried to escape on foot while carrying the child in his arms. As officers chased him, the sheriff's office said, he threw the child at Deputy Jacob Curby, who caught the baby. “It was kind of awkward. I couldn’t chase him, I couldn’t tackle him, not a whole lot I can do because he had the baby. He just turned around, no regard, not a little toss or anything, he just turned around, overhand threw this two-month-old at me from about 6 feet away,” the deputy told CBS12 News.
Curby continued, “I’ve seen some crazy stuff but this is definitely up there. It wasn’t a nice underhand handoff from a foot away, it was a throw,” before adding, “he’s just a cute little baby, fluffy hair, had a cute little outfit on. Luckily we were able to get the baby from him before he did trip and fall, or try to carjack somebody else.”
But eventually, James was captured in a parking lot at 4835 38th Circle, where he reportedly tried to resist it. He also complained that he could not breathe as he has asthma. Officers took him to a nearby fire station so that EMTs could check him out, but there also he did not stop as he continued to resist and kicked a deputy in the face. The suspect was given a sedative and then transported to a hospital for examination.
James has now been reportedly pressed with numerous felonies, which included two counts of aggravated child abuse, aggravated battery on an officer/firefighter/EMT, aggravated battery on a pregnant woman, felony flee and elude, resisting arrest with violence, as well as reckless driving. Besides, he has been put behind bars without any bond.
In another incident, a nearly naked woman was arrested on May 22 after a high-speed chase through numerous counties. The suspect identified as Rachael Lynn Stefancich was accused of erratically driving a stolen car, authorities said. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said deputies were informed about Stefancich at around ten in the morning. She was reportedly driving the 2009 Cadillac sedan on I-75, which she stole, in Sumter County after being first seen on the interstate in Hernando County.
However, after a long high-speed chase, Stefancich was caught, who was “nearly fully unclothed” at the time, the FHP stated. The deputies also found a glass pipe used for smoking methamphetamine and a substance believed to be meth inside the Cadillac sedan. She was then pressed with grand theft auto, reckless driving, fleeing and eluding, possession of methamphetamine and driving with suspended license charges.